Maybe He Stayed
by AllyWH
Summary: If you read my first House MD fic,"What If",then I hope you'll enjoy this different take on how things might've been.Title says it all. I don't own House or any regular characters.Please review if you like it so I can write more! Up to Ch35 posted!
1. Chapter 1

**This fic is probably best read after reading my first House MD fic 'What If'...**

**This is what could've happened if House had been there for his daughter from Day 1.**

**Enjoy!**

**As always, I don't own House or any regular characters. (Wish I did)**

**Please read and review (Thanks to momsboys for the inspiration)**

1

**1982**

"How can it be positive?" Greg House stared at the pregnancy test in his girlfriend's hands.

"You're the newly qualified doctor!" Was the response. "What are we gonna do?"

He stood up from the edge of the bath tub which had served as his seat, "I don't know," he smiled at her, "We'll figure something out."

"How are we going to afford a baby, Greg?" Jane stood up and followed him out of the bathroom, "You're on your first rotation, bottom of the food chain, and I've still got to find a job!"

He slouched down on the sofa in the tiny living room, "It'll be ok. Trust me. I'll try and get you booked into the OB/GYN after my shift tomorrow."

"OK." Jane sighed, slouching down beside him. "Thanks."

The next morning, he strolled up to the maternity ward, and stood patiently waiting for someone to notice him. He cleared his throat to announce his presence at the desk. The nurse on duty looked up at him. "Can I help you?"

'Can you make me feel a little less like a piece of scum?' he thought to himself. "I'm Dr Gregory House, first year resident." He flashed his ID badge at her, "I need to see someone about arranging an appointment for my girlfriend. She's pregnant." He flashed his best grin at her.

"Dear God, they're multiplying already." The nurse muttered, "Take a seat over there and I'll see what's available." House sat down, waiting for her return. "Friday at 3?"

"That's 4 days away, is there nothing sooner?"

"Take it or leave it." She held out an appointment card for him, "You want it?"

"I'll take it." He took the card from her hand, and turned to walk away.

"Don't bother with the thank you!" The nurse called after him, "Newbies." She muttered.

**8 weeks later**

"Hi mom." House was on the phone to his parents.

"Greg, how are you? And Jane?" He could hear her banging about in the kitchen, probably making dinner.

"I'm fine, mom. Jane's actually the reason I'm calling."

"Oh no, you haven't broken up."

"No, mom, nothing like that. We're, uh, gonna have a baby." He waited for his mother's reaction.

"Really? Oh honey, that's wonderful." He could tell his mother was already planning what clothes to buy. "When's the baby due?"

"Umm, February." He looked over at Jane for confirmation.

"John?" House could hear his mother shouting on his father. "Greg's gonna be a dad!"

"Great, that's all we need.You know who's gonna be buying all the baby stuff don't you? Us, those two sure as hell can't afford it." He heard his father shout in the background.

"Don't you worry, love, he's just surprised that's all. I'd better go. Congratulations, give Jane our love."

"I will, mom, thanks." He hung up the phone.

"How did she take it?" Jane was sitting nervously on the sofa, "Is she angry?"

"No, no. I think she's very excited." He smiled, sitting down beside her.

"And your dad?"

"Let's not talk about him." He sighed, "He doesn't matter. What matters is you and our baby." He pulled her into a hug, worrying himself about how they would cope.

**6 months later**

House was enjoying a sandwich in the cafeteria, sitting alone reading a medical journal, when the journal was pulled from his hands.

"Reading here!" He muttered loudly, looking up to see Jane standing before him, "What are you doing here?"

"Thought I'd experience cafeteria food." She answered sarcastically, "Your baby is on it's way, genius."

"Maternity is on the 4th floor, I'll meet you up there once it's all over."

"Like hell you will." She grabbed his hand. "Come on."

"Can't do, patients to see, people to save." In all honesty, he was terrified. "Ok, I'll take you up, get you booked in, tell my chief what's happening, and then we can have ourselves a baby."

He did as he said, and arrived back in Jane's hospital room soon after. "Greg, I can't do this." She was panting. "I can't."

"Sure you can sweetie." He wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"I'm going to see if I can find a doctor." Jane had been in labour for 15 hours, been fully dilated for 2. "This is taking too long." Just as he was about to leave, a nurse arrived. "Finally!" He sighed sarcastically.

"We're going to check the baby's heartbeat, ok?"

"You think something's wrong?" She asked, panicking. House looked worried too. "Greg?"

The nurse attached the cables to her stomach, "Ok, baby's heart rate isn't great. I'm just going to get the doctor, ok?" She hurried out of the room, returning a few moments later. The doctor looked at the monitor, read out.

"Ok, Ms Young. I think we need to do a C-section, we'll need to use a general anaesthetic, we don't really have time to wait for a spinal to take effect." He explained, "Mr, uh-" He addressed House.

"House. Doctor House." House corrected him, bitterly.

"Dr House, Nurse will get you some scrubs and we'll see you in the OR."

House followed the nurse back out, got changed quickly and followed her to the OR, where Jane was already asleep. "Are you ready to be a father?" The nurse smiled at him, he just stood, silently praying that Jane and the baby would be ok. In a few moments, he heard his child cry for the first time.

"Congratulations, it's a girl."

House breathed a sigh of relief. "Is she ok? Is she breathing ok?"

"Listen to her, nothing wrong with those lungs." The nurse patted him on the shoulder, "You want to hold your daughter?" His daughter, words couldn't describe how that phrase made him feel.

"Yeah." He answered, allowing the grin he had been suppressing to break out. She handed him the tiny person, face red from her first cries, wrapped in a blanket. "Hey," he whispered, "I'm Greg House. I'm your daddy."


	2. Chapter 2

2

Jane slowly opened her eyes, to see House standing watching over the cot that she assumed contained their new baby.

"Greg?"

"Hey," he smiled, turning around. "Want to meet our daughter?" He gently scooped the baby out and carefully carried her over.

"We've got a baby girl?" She asked, sitting up, and scrutinising the tiny baby, sleeping peacefully. "She's ok?"

"Yeah, she needs a name though."

"I only picked boys names." Jane admitted, she had been sure it was going to be a boy. "Guess we need to think again."

"I always liked Madeleine. Maddy. " House suggested, quietly. "I think she likes it." His daughter had opened her eyes and was staring intently at him. "Hey Maddy."

"I like it." Jane answered, "Suits her. Maddy House."

"Hi mom, dad." House could have hit whoever had just intruded on their first minutes as a family. "How are we?"

"Good, thanks." Jane smiled at the nurse.

The nurse made her way over to look at Maddy. "Want to try feeding her?"

"Sure." The nurse showed Jane the best way to nurse her daughter. "You're hungry, huh?"

"I'm just gonna call mom." House explained and walked out of the room. He walked along the corridors of his work place trying to locate a public pay phone. He found it and dropped a few quarters into the slot, and dialled his parents number. His father answered. "Hey Dad, it's Greg." The answer a wise crack about House being the only one to call John Dad on account of being an only child. "I thought you might like to know that Jane had a baby girl earlier today." A less than enthusiastic response. "Is mom home?" House's dad took offence at not being good enough for House to talk to. And no, House's mother was not at home. "Well, maybe you could pass on the information that her grand daughter is called Madeleine, she weighed 6 pounds even, and will be home on Tuesday." House hung up the phone in frustration, angry that is daughter, barely 2 hours old, had failed to make any great impression on his father. He eagerly walked back to rejoin his family, stopping outside to watch Jane chatting to Maddy as she rocked her back to sleep.

"Hey, did you speak to your mom?" Jane asked, when he walked back in.

"No, she wasn't home. Dad passes on his congratulations, can't wait to see her." House lied, Jane didn't know the history between the House men, how they seemed to merely tolerate each other. "I need to go and see my boss. Tell him I'll need Tuesday afternoon off and that I'll be back on shift tomorrow."

"You're going back tomorrow? Don't you get paternity leave? All the time you can take for your daughter is one afternoon?" Jane whispered angrily.

"I'm entitled to leave, but I can't afford to miss work. We need all the money we can get. Don't you think I want to spend as much time with you guys as I can? But we need to save for a deposit on a bigger apartment, pay for her stroller, crib, car seat, clothes, diapers, formula." He rhymed off all the expenses, Jane looked up at him, stressed.

"Can we do it?"

"It's a bit late to hand her back now, did you keep the receipt for her?" House joked, taking Maddy from Jane, and sitting down on the chair at the bedside. Jane laughed, seeing the funny side.

"Visiting hours are over." The nurse reminded House, as he sat still holding his daughter, Jane had fallen asleep a little while before. "It's ok, you can put her down you know, she won't run away." She smiled at him, he stood up and placed her back in her cot.

"Night Maddy, I'll see you tomorrow." He leaned over and kissed her forehead. He quietly closed the room door and headed for his boss's office. He saw the light was still on and knocked the door gently.

"Come in." Dr Phillips invited him, "Ah," he searched his brain for the first year residents name, "Greg. Congratulations are in order I see."

"Yeah, I have a baby girl, Maddy. I'm sorry I had to leave today." He took a seat in front of his boss's desk.

"Well, I'm sure the birth of your daughter beats doing rounds." The older doctor smiled at him in understanding. "So, what can I do for you? Paternity leave?"

"Actually, I was just calling in to say I'll be back tomorrow, but I have to take Tuesday afternoon off, Jane and the baby are coming home that day. I can't afford to take anymore time than that off." He explained, almost ashamed to admit it.

"Of course, babies are expensive. So, I'll see you tomorrow at 8am." House nodded in agreement, "And congratulations again, good night Greg."

House drove home and walked into the small lounge in the tiny one bedroom apartment, it had never felt more empty to him. He walked into the small bedroom, collected the crib, that he had bought the week before and started to assemble it, in anticipation of Tuesday. A few hours later he sat up on the sofa, and opened himself a beer, before heading to what would be one of his last full nights sleeps.

**Tuesday**

"Ready to go?" House asked Jane as he entered her room. "And how's my girl?" He addressed Maddy as he picked her out and strapped her into her car seat.

"She's fine," Jane answered, easing herself off of the bed, and putting her jacket on, "Can we go? I want to get her settled in to her new home."

"Sure, come on." House grabbed Jane's bag in one arm and the baby carrier in the other, and they headed to his car. They entered the apartment and Jane immediately sat down on the sofa. "Why don't you watch some TV, while I give Maddy the grand tour." He lifted her out of her carrier.

"The grand five minute tour. The bathroom, the kitchen, the bedroom and here." Jane answered, with an air of sarcasm.

"I'm doing the best I can here, Jane. I wish that we could afford a bigger place, and we will soon." He sighed, and placed Maddy in her crib. "I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. I'm just tired, think I'll lie down, will you be ok with her?"

"Sure." He changed the TV station onto a Rolling Stones documentary, becoming engrossed until half way through it Maddy reminded him that she existed, and more specifically needed a diaper change. "And what's wrong with you, huh?" He lifted her out, and changed her, while Jane came out of the bedroom.

"All I want is 5 minutes sleep, can't you take her out for a walk or something?"

"It's freezing outside, I thought you wanted to get her settled in." House answered her, holding Maddy to his shoulder.

"I don't think I can do this, Greg. It's too much."

"Our daughter is 3 days old, how can she be too much for you?!" He said, angrily, trying not to upset the baby. "It's too late to change your mind, she's here."

"I know, I know. I need to think." She grabbed her coat and walked out of the front door, leaving a confused House, literally holding the baby.

**Three hours later**

House paced up and down the small lounge, trying to calm his daughter down. "I know, you're hungry." He sighed glancing at the clock, she had been due her feed over an hour previously. "Let's go and get you some formula." He wrapped her up in a blanket, and fixed her into her car seat, and drove to the nearest store. He looked up and down the baby food aisle, trying to figure out what formula to buy. "Excuse me," he addressed an assistant, "What formula is best for a 3 day old infant?"

"Try that one." She pulled a tub down from the shelf, "Says from birth on."

"Thank you." He hurried to the checkout and paid for the formula, just as Maddy started to wail again. He drove home, Maddy crying the whole way. "Jane?" He called as he entered the apartment. "Guess it's just you and me." He made up the bottle and fed her, then laid her down for a sleep. He glanced at the clock, Jane had been missing for 5 hours. He was just changing his second diaper of the day when his phone rang.

"Jane?" He answered it.

"No, Greg, it's mom. Is everything ok?"

"Not really, mom."

"Is the baby ok? Madeleine's ok isn't she?" She could hear her grand daughter gurgling away in the background as House tried to fasten her sleepsuit.

"Yeah, she's great." In spite of the situation, he smiled. "Jane walked out earlier, saying she couldn't do this."

"She what?"

"Yeah, she was sleeping and Maddy woke her up, she shouted then walked out."

"I'm sure she'll be back soon."

"It was 5 hours ago mom." House sighed, "I can't go looking for her because I have the baby to look after, none of her friends say they've seen her. How could she walk out on her 3 day old baby?"

"I don't know, son. If she's not back by tomorrow, I'll get Dad to drive us down to you, we'll help you with the baby, ok?"

"Thanks mom, I hope it's not necessary."

House could hear his father in the background, "The baby's not even a week old and we're already having to bail him out, Blythe?"

"It's not Greg's fault, John. Jane just panicked."

House thought over the last nine months, he had always been the more enthusiastic of the two, had chosen almost all of the baby equipment. She'd always said 'Your baby' not 'Our baby'. Maybe the walk out had been coming for longer than he's realised.

"I gotta go Mom, Maddy needs a bottle. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Ok, bye Greg. I'm sure she'll come home."

He hung up the phone and just sat, staring at his daughter, who at 3 days had done nothing to merit her mother walking out on her. "Come on, Maddy, let's go watch tv in bed." He was woken a few hours later, by his daughter announcing that she was hungry, yet again. He stumbled into the living room, and set about making her a bottle, and taking her back into the bedroom to feed her. "Looks like Mommy's not coming home tonight." He sighed, looking at the bedside alarm clock which read 4am. He had to be up in just 2 hours to get ready for work. He settled back down to sleep, Maddy sleeping peacefully beside him, until the alarm woke him up. He lifted her out of the bed, not waking her and laid her in her crib while he showered. He came out of the shower, hoping against hope that Jane had returned in his 10 minute absence. She hadn't. "Looks like you're coming to work with me, kid."

He walked into Michigan General Hospital, Maddy in a baby sling in front of him. "Hey Mr Mom." One of his colleagues greeted him, grinning at the sight.

"Mark, don't even go there." He warned the young doctor, "I don't really want to be taking my 4 day old daughter on rounds, but needs must."

Just then Dr Phillips walked up to the group of young doctors. "Dr House, a word." He indicated that he wanted to talk to him away from the other doctors.

"I know what you're going to say, but I had no choice. I'm going to call my mom and hopefully she'll be here by late afternoon to take her."

"What about the baby's mother?" House just sighed heavily, "Does she know where her daughter is?"

"It's more a case of does she care where her daughter is." House answered, stroking Maddy's head as she woke up. "She walked out on me, us last night."

"I see." He frowned then smiled at the younger doctor. "Let me make a few calls. My wife manages the daycare centre here." He disappeared towards the front desk of the hospital, returning a few minutes later, "Mary says to take your daughter up to her, third floor and she'll take care of her for today. Why don't you go and grab her stroller and diaper bag?"

"Thank you, Dr Phillips, I-we appreciate this very much." House turned and headed towards his car, before his mentor could see his tears of gratitude. He grabbed the stroller from the trunk of his car, and settled Maddy into it, grabbing her diaper bag from his locker en route to daycare. "Mrs Phillips?" He asked, as he stood at the door of daycare.

"Dr House I presume." The older lady smiled at him. "And this is?"

"Maddy, she's 4 days old. She's due a bottle in an hour, and the formula and bottle are in here-"

"I know how to take care of an infant." She assured him gently, and pushed the stroller fully into the room. "She'll be fine."

"Ok, thank you." He bent over Maddy's stroller, "Daddy has to go to work now, but I promise I'll be back every break I get." He kissed her forehead and went to join the rest of the junior residents.


	3. Chapter 3

3

House impatiently followed the other doctors on the round, easily outshining many of them with his knowledge, time for his first break and he knew that he would have to call his parents for help. He checked daycare where Maddy was sleeping, then found the payphone.

"Hello, mom?"

"Greg, how are you? Did she come home?"

"She didn't. I've had to take Maddy to work with me today, daycare have her for today."

"John," she could hear his mother talk to his father, "she didn't come home. We need to help him out."

"Oh for God's sake Blythe, he's old enough to have a baby, he's old enough to fend for himself. She's only four days old, how can he have messed things up already."

"He needs us, our grand daughter needs us." Blythe pleaded with her husband to help out their son. "We'll just pack some things and come straight down. Will you be at the hospital?"

"Yeah, mom. Thank you so much."

"No problem, Greg." And she hung up the phone.

**Later that afternoon**

"Excuse me, we're looking for a Dr Gregory House." John House addressed the receptionist at the front desk.

"Just one moment," the receptionist answered, "I'll put out a call. Would Dr Gregory House, Dr Gregory House please contact the front desk."

A few minutes later, a flustered House arrived in reception, "You called for me?" The receptionist merely pointed in the direction of the waiting area where his parents sat. He instinctively hugged his mother, and shook his father's outstretched hand. "Thanks for coming down." His parents could see the stress on his face.

"No problem, now where is our grand daughter?"

"I'll take you to daycare." He led them to the elevator and headed for the third floor, and walked into daycare. "Mrs Phillips?"

"Ah Dr House, just can't keep away can you?" She smiled, "She's absolutely fine, just had her diaper changed."

"Thank you, this is my mom, Blythe House and my dad John House." He introduced his parents, who shook Mrs Phillips hand in turn.

"I believe you helped our son out this morning, thank you." John surprised House, he certainly seemed to have mellowed out on the drive down.

"She's been no trouble."

House walked over to her stroller, where she lay awake. "Hey, angel." He picked her up and held her close to him. "Meet your grandma." He turned around and handed her to his mother.

"Greg, she's beautiful." He could see tears coming to his mother's eyes.

"She really is something." His father commented, all previous remarks forgotten. "Hi Maddy." He waved at her.

"Would you guys mind taking her back to the apartment?" House asked, fishing his spare house keys out of his pocket and handing them to his father. "I'll just get the car seat from the car for you." His father followed him out, while his mother settled Maddy into her stroller, and thanking Mrs Phillips again on her way out.

"I'm due off at 5pm, should be home for 530pm." House was explaining to his father as he tried to fit the seat into his car. "She's just had a diaper change, probably want a feed soon."

"Greg, I think I know how to look after a baby, you survived didn't you?"

'Not without some scars,' House thought to himself, but dismissed the negative thoughts, when he glanced at the way his father was smiling at his daughter.

"Ok, well, help yourself to anything you need, and I'll be home soon." House felt a tinge of sadness as he watched them drive away.

They drove to House's apartment, not sure what to expect, as they hadn't visited since House and Jane had moved in. "Cosy." Blythe remarked as she placed Maddy into her crib, awkwardly positioned in the small lounge.

"Tiny. They expected to raise a baby here? There's barely enough room for those two on their own." Her husband remarked, looking in the bedroom, opening random closets. "Uh-oh, looks like Greg had a visitor." All of Jane's clothes seemed to be missing.

"There's a note on the table."

"What does it say?" John had rejoined his wife in the lounge.

"Dear Greg, I hope you understand why I've done what I've done. I know Maddy will be better off alone with you, than with both of us. Tell her I love her. Please don't hate me, this was just too big for me. Love Jane." Blythe read aloud, "She's left them, for good." She sank down onto the sofa, watching her grand daughter sleep. "That poor baby."

"We need to get groceries." John remarked as he continued his inspection of the apartment, "God knows what he was planning on eating."

"John, you know as well as I do, newborns come before shopping lists. He's 23, just qualified as a doctor and his girlfriend has just abandoned him and their baby." She joined her husband in the small kitchen. "Why don't we go and get those groceries, one less thing for Greg to worry about." John nodded in agreement, and they headed to the store.

House finished up the rest of his shift and eagerly drove home. He opened the door to the apartment and went inside. The apartment was quiet, his parents were nowhere to be seen, more importantly his daughter was missing too. He assumed that his parents must have been out with her. He went to his bedroom, intent on changing from his working clothes. He opened the closet door, most of Jane's clothes appeared to be gone. Panic rose in him as he thought about the empty crib in his lounge, what if she had taken more than just her clothes? He walked back into the lounge, feeling sick, and noticed the note. He read over it, twice, to make sure he hadn't misunderstood. The message was clear, she wasn't coming back, from now on it was just him and Maddy. He didn't know what to feel. Sadness that his relationship was over? Anger that she had abandoned them? He didn't have time to think about that as his parents returned.

"Hey, oh here let me take those." He took the groceries from his father's arms. "Thanks." He put the food away, then came back into the lounge. "How's Maddy?" He asked Blythe as she picked her out from her carrier.

"She's fine." She smiled at her grand daughter, then handed her to him. "Missed her daddy." His daughter opened her eyes to stare at him. "Why don't you make her up a bottle? I'll start dinner."

He followed Blythe through to the kitchen. "You saw the note?" He asked her, as he measured out the formula. "She's not coming back is she?" She shook her head. "How could she?"

"Some people just aren't cut out to be parents." Blythe commented, trying to hide her anger at Jane. "I don't understand how anyone could leave their child."

"How am I going to cope? I work 50 hours a week. Daycare won't take her until she's 3 months old."

"You'll be fine. Dad and I are here. We can help out. Maybe we can rent an apartment until she's old enough for daycare."

"And what does Dad think of that?"

"I'll talk to him. We'll check into a hotel for the next few nights. Hardly enough room here for all 3, sorry 4 of us." She started to chop some potatoes. "Why don't you take her out to your father? He needs to brush up on his baby skills."

House walked back into the lounge with Maddy and sat beside his father on the sofa. "Thank you for coming, dad, it means a lot to both of us." He smiled down at the baby, "You want Grandpa to feed you?" He looked hopefully at his father who wordlessly took Maddy from him, and started to feed her.

"She looks a lot like you when you were just born." His father remarked, "So, what do you do now?"

"Daycare can take her when she's 3 months old." House explained.

"And your mother has offered to look after her until then?" His father asked, not looking up from his grand daughter.

"She mentioned something." House started, "I'm not sure what's going to happen. Maybe if I explain the situation, daycare would make an exception."

"You could transfer back home. Your mother could look after the baby until she's old enough for daycare."

"I could try for a transfer. I work shifts so daycare would only be ok for through the daytime. I don't want to have to ask mom to raise my daughter for me, I'm her father damn it." He sighed, "Mom shouldn't have to clean up my mess."

"I sincerely hope that you didn't just call my grand daughter a mess." Blythe had walked out of the kitchen. "I would be looking after her, not raising her. That's still your job. You're doing great so far."

"Think about it." John suggested, burping Maddy. "Dinner?"

"20 minutes." Blythe answered.

**After dinner**

"We should go and see if we can get booked into a hotel for the rest of the week." John suggested.

"The Clansman is supposed to be nice." House offered.

"We'll try there first. What time do you need us to take Maddy at tomorrow?"

"I'm on shift at 9, so maybe 815?"

"We'll see you then." Blythe smiled at him, putting her coat on, and hugging her son.

"Yeah, thanks guys." And his parents left, to find a hotel.


	4. Chapter 4

4

**6 months later**

"Hey Maddy, are you ready to go home?" House had arrived at daycare in his new hospital in his parents' home town. He had made it through the past 6 months with a lot of help from his parents, mostly his mother, but was gradually coping more and more on his own. "How's her cold?" He had dropped her off that morning with a runny nose and cough, believing it was nothing sinister.

"She has a slight fever." The young daycare attendant informed him as he picked up his daughter.

"Fever?" Maddy was squirming in his arms.

"Been off her food today too." She added.

"My 6 month old daughter has a fever and isn't eating and you didn't think I'd like to know?" He replied sternly, putting his hand to her forehead.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"Slight fever?! She's burning up!" House exclaimed. The attendant ran over to House and Maddy.

"How can she be burning up if she's shivering?"

House didn't answer, but proceeded to lift up his daughter's shirt, "No," he whispered, then sprung into action, "Call ER, tell them I'm bringing down a 6 month old with suspected meningitis!" He called to the attendant, who immediately called.

"She's going to be ok, isn't she?"

"I don't know. Don't they tell you how to know if a baby is seriously ill here?!" He yelled, cuddling Maddy to him and running as fast as he could to the ER downstairs.

"House?" One of his colleagues, Ryan, greeted him. "The suspected meningitis is your daughter?"

"Fever, shivering, rash, loss of appetite." House rhymed off the symptoms, while charging into an empty exam room, his colleague trailing behind. "Breathing compromised."

"OK, House, we'll take it from here." Ryan said, looking at the door, as the senior attending walked in.

"But-"

"Look, House, Greg, you know you can't treat your own daughter. We'll look after her, I'll come and get you when we know more ok." Ryan reiterated, putting his hand on House's shoulder, who with one last look at his sick baby, walked out. He paced up and down outside the exam room watching as nurses came and went, noting their hurried pace. He unsuccessfully tried to ask them what was happening several times. He glanced at his wrist watch, a present from Jane on qualifying, he thought uselessly. They had been working on Maddy for almost an hour. He stopped pacing when he felt a hand on his shoulder, it was the senior doctor treating his daughter.

"How is she?" He asked, "Is it meningitis?"

"We won't have confirmation for 12 hours, but we did a lumbar puncture and it looks positive."

"You did an LP on my 6 month old?!"

"House, she started having seizures-"

"Oh my God." House muttered, the senior doctor could see his usually over confident resident crumble.

"We've sedated her to control the seizures, we've got her on IV penicillin. She's on a ventilator. The next 24 hours are critical. Do you want to see her before we take her up to PICU?"

"Yeah." The doctor showed him into the exam room, where Maddy lay, covered in wires and tubes. "Hey, it's Daddy." He rubbed her tiny hand, finally letting his tears fall. "You're going to be ok." He was talking more for his own benefit than hers. He sat holding her hand until one of the nurses tapped him on the shoulder.

"We need to take her up to PICU. We just have some forms for you to fill out."

"Forms?!" He asked incredulously, his eyes not leaving Maddy, "My daughter is lying here, critically ill, and you want me to fill out damn forms?!"

"I'm sorry, sir, but it's procedure." The nurse answered him, "If you'll just follow me." Realising the futility of refusing, he stood up and followed her to the desk and started filling out the mountain of paperwork. "Thank you, I'll come and get you when she's settled onto PICU. Maybe you should call her mother." The nurse thought her suggestion was helpful, not knowing the history.

"She's not interested." House stated simply.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" A glare from House stopped her. "I'll take you to her in a little while." And she walked away. House sat in the waiting area feeling helpless, then decided to call someone.

"Hey mom."

"Greg, where are you? We were expecting you for dinner almost an hour ago."

House sighed, he had forgotten about dinner. "I'm still at the hospital."

"Still? It's gone 7, isn't daycare closed?"

"Umm, yeah, I guess."

"Who has Madeleine?" Blythe always insisted on calling Maddy by her full name, something he was sure his daughter would grow to hate.

"She's just been admitted as a patient. They think she has meningitis."

"That's serious isn't it?" His mother's medical knowledge wasn't great but she knew this was bad. "How sick is she?"

"She's really sick. I thought maybe you and dad-" He didn't want to face this alone.

"We're on our way." His mother hung up the phone, as House turned to see the nurse from earlier.

"I can see her?" She nodded, and he wordlessly followed her upstairs. She led him into a private room, where he sat by her, stroking her hair.

"Greg?" He was startled by Blythe's voice, heavy with tears. She unsteadily walked into the room, gasping when he saw her grand daughter.

"They have her sedated, she can't feel anything." He assured her, hoping that it was the truth. "Where's dad?"

"He's outside, you know how much he hates hospitals." She replied. "How sick is she?"

House could feel himself go into doctor mode, "Next 24 hours are critical, they'll probably do scans, check for swelling around the brain, take her off of sedation to see if she's stopped seizing, then based on that, assess her chances of brain injury from swelling."

"Brain injury?" He nodded, "Maybe you should try and find Jane, she should be here."

"No."

"But-"

"I am not wasting what little time I may have left with my daughter, trying to find her mother who abandoned her when she was 3 days old. If she gives a damn, she has a funny way of showing it!" House stood up in anger and frustration. "We don't need her, we're doing fine on our own." He calmed down, seeing how upset his mother was. "Why don't you head home? I'll call you if there's any change."

"You'll be ok?" She asked, unsurely, standing up. He just nodded, looking up at her with tired eyes. "Ok, I'll be back in tomorrow." She took one last look at Maddy, then left.

House sat for a while, before his stomach reminded him that he hadn't eaten. He wasn't sure if he could keep anything down, but reasoned if he was going to be any use to his daughter, he had to keep his strength up. He stood up from the bedside and walked out towards the nurses station. "I'm just going to grab a sandwich and coffee, could someone sit with her until I get back?" The nurse on duty raised her eyebrows at the request, "She's just a baby, I don't want her left on her own, I'll only be 5 minutes."

"Sure." She stood up and walked into Maddy's room. "Hey, kiddo. Your dad's really worried about you. You'd better get yourself better soon, huh?" House stood at the door watching the complete stranger chatting to his daughter. She turned around to see him standing watching. "I'll leave you with your dad, kiddo."

"Her name's Maddy." House corrected as he walked by and resumed his vigil.

He was woken the next morning, still sat in his chair, by the senior who had treated his daughter the night before. He was checking her chart, checking monitor read outs. "Morning House. You slept here?"

"How is she?" House rubbed his eyes trying to wake himself up.

"No deterioration which is good." House sighed, no obvious improvement either. "Why don't you go home and get some rest?"

"I'm all she has, I'm not leaving."

"Well go get yourself some food at least." The older doctor suggested.

"I'm fine." He sighed, turning to face the bed. His daughter was slowly opening her eyes. "Maddy?" She grabbed at the ventilator tubing. "Shhh, angel, it's ok." He looked up at the doctor, hopefully. "Can we extubate?"

"We'll reduce ventilation, see how she copes and put her on a course of corticosteroids, it helps the airways to clear. Pulse ox is good."

House smiled down at Maddy, she observed him, sleepily, grabbing again at the tubing. He took her hand and tried to stop her pulling at the tube, while the doctor adjusted the ventilator setting. He observed her monitors, and smiled, pulse ox was still holding steady. "Good?"

"Very. Keep an eye on the pulse ox, try to stop her pulling at her tubes. I'll check back later this morning."

Later that morning, as predicted House watched his daughter breathe on her own again. The storm seemed to have passed. "You had me worried squirt." He told her that night, as he fed her a jar of food. "What would I do without my partner in crime, huh?" He smiled at her, sometimes it took nearly losing someone to appreciate how much they meant to you.


	5. Chapter 5

**Ok, a quick thank you to peeps for adding this to their story alert. As yet no reviews so I'm not sure if you guys are liking this. The first few chapters of this will involve leaps to important moments for House and Maddy in her childhood.**

**But main point, pls review if you want more!**

**Thanx, Al**

5

**3rd Feb 1984**

"Happy birthday, dear Madeleine. Happy birthday to you." House's mother had joined House at his home to celebrate Maddy's first birthday.

"Who's grandma's big girl?" Blythe picked Maddy up and hugged her. "Here open your gifts!" She put her down and handed her a package. Maddy grinned up at House.

"Go on, squirt." She ripped open the paper.

"Dada, teddy!" She exclaimed, with delight, lifting it up for him to see.

"Thanks mom. You spoil her."

"It's what grand parents are for Greg." Blythe informed him. "Your father was sorry he couldn't make it."

"You like your teddy?" He asked Maddy, who was hugging it. "Here, open this." He handed her a box. She ripped the paper off, to reveal a selection of kids books. "You like?" She took a book over to him, pointing to the picture. "There's more." He handed her another gift, this time a colouring book. "You enjoying your birthday?"

"I think she is." Blythe answered, "You did a great job over this past year. I'm proud of you." She hugged him, Maddy watched from her position on the floor.

"Gramma, up!" She held her arms out to be picked up. "Snow!" She pointed to the window, where a late snowstorm was gracing the scene outside.

"You wanna go play in the snow?" House asked her, she nodded. "OK, let's get you wrapped up, you want your ball?" She nodded again. "Mom?"

"I'll sit this one out, have a coffee."

"Sure." And he set off upstairs to get Maddy ready for playing outside. They went outside, "Throw daddy the ball!" House suggested, as Maddy stood staring at the snow falling. He heard the garden gate behind him open. He turned around, Jane stood there.

"Hi Greg."

He picked Maddy up, holding her close. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see my daughter." She answered, staring at Maddy. "I brought her a gift."

"She doesn't need anything from you." He spat bitterly.

"I was wrong."

"You abandoned your newborn baby, left us to just get on with it. We managed fine without you!" He yelled, "And you stroll in here with a gift, a year too late!" He yelled, Maddy started crying.

"You're upsetting her." Jane remarked, reaching out to her daughter.

"_**I'm **_upsetting her. She was fine until you showed up." House angrily replied, rubbing Maddy's back. "Go." He instructed.

"No."

"Wasn't a question. Leave." Maddy was still crying, House turned to go back inside.

"I'm not leaving until we talk. Until I get to hold her."

"You'll be waiting a long time, I'd recommend maybe getting gloves."

"Greg, please." Jane pleaded.

Blythe appeared at the back door, having heard the raised voices, and Maddy crying.

"Greg, is everything ok? Jane?"

"Mom, can you take Maddy inside?" Blythe took her grand daughter from him, "She's probably needing her nap."

"So what's changed?" House asked, standing on the stairs to his yard. "I left a forwarding address 11 months ago. The drive from Michigan doesn't take that long."

"I'm engaged." She explained, "His name is Eddie Brandt."

"And you just thought that you could walk in here and help yourself to a ready made family."

"No, I just, thought that maybe we could come to an arrangement over custody."

"You think you're entitled to custody?!" He shouted.

"I'm her mother!"

"Genetically maybe." He sneered. "Just go."

"But-"

"Have a replacement baby with Jim or George or whoever."

"Eddie." She reminded him. "I should've expected this." She looked him straight in the eye, "I need to know, is she happy?"

House smiled, "She's healthy, exceptionally bright for her age. She can walk, has a total of 20 words in her vocabulary. Mommy isn't one of them incidentally, can't think why."

"Greg. Cut the doctor crap."

"She loves mac and cheese, apple juice, 'Goodnight Moon' at bedtime. And yes, she is very happy. She's wanted."

"I don't want to make her unhappy." Jane had tears in her eyes. "Can I at least say goodbye?" House nodded and opened the back door for her. Blythe watched wordlessly as House led Jane up to the nursery. "Nice place you have here." She commented.

"Beats the sardine can in Michigan."

They walked into the nursery and saw Maddy standing up in her crib, grinning when she seen House. "Dada!"

"Hey squirt." He picked her up, "This is daddy's friend, you wanna say hi?" She just buried her head in his shoulder.

"Hi Maddy." She whispered, "I heard it was your birthday, and I brought you a gift." Maddy yawned against her father's shoulder. "I'll leave it with Grandma." She reached out and stroked Maddy's hand, Maddy watched her with tired eyes, then closed them. "Goodbye Madeleine."

"Thank you." House answered, "For not taking her."

"It wouldn't be good for her. I only want what's best for her, even though this breaks my heart, she comes first. She needs to be with her father." She glanced out of the window, "I should go, Eddie's waiting in the car."

"Here." House handed Jane a photo of Maddy he'd taken recently.

"Thank you." And she walked out of their life.

"Jane's not staying?" Blythe asked, when House returned having put Maddy down for a nap. House shook his head, "What did she want?"

"To tell me she's engaged, she wanted to come to some sort of custody arrangement."

"She wants to take her?"

"Wanted. She didn't think it would do Maddy any good, she's happy here with me. Us." He explained, looking around his lounge, trying to imagine what it would be like if it wasn't littered with all her toys, he couldn't imagine it.

"Children, especially girls, need their mother." Blythe answered. "At some point."

"Not this one."


	6. Chapter 6

6

1989

"Hey squirt." House greeted his daughter at the school gates. "How was school?"

She shrugged, he decided not to pursue the matter. "Are we going home daddy?"

"No, I have patients to see, so you get to come and draw pictures in my office." House was working as a nephrologist at the local general hospital.

"But-"

"But what?"

"Nothing." House frowned at his daughter, as he turned into the car park at the hospital. They walked towards his office. "Can I have a candy bar?" She asked, passing a vending machine.

House pretended to think for a moment, "Well, maybe just a half a candy bar."

"Half?" She whined.

"You don't want to share the candy with me?" He pretended to look hurt. He handed her some coins, "Go get a candy bar."

"Can't you come too?"

"It's just at the end of the corridor. Go." He instructed her, and she walked to get it, House watching from his office. She returned a few minutes later with the promised bar, which House halved for her. "Now, I have to see a patient. So, you sit over there, and draw me a pretty picture, ok? Now, what music do you want in your headphones? Stones?"

She nodded, and House put the headphones over her ears. He had spent the past 6 years moulding Maddy's taste in music to match his own. He sat and waited for his patient. There was a knock on the door.

His head of department, Collins was stood there. "Dr House, this office is not your own personal daycare centre. I've had complaints from patients concerned about you treating them while your child is here."

"She's not doing any harm, I don't have a sitter. I'm hardly dragging her to an OR and letting her watch gory surgery." He glanced over at Maddy who was contentedly drawing a picture with her crayons. "She's listening to music so she isn't even listening to them." He could feel himself getting frustrated.

"It's unprofessional, Dr House."

"Unprofessional?!" He scoffed, "My daughter being here doesn't stop me doing my job."

"Either call a sitter or take her home."

"You're suggesting that I leave my 6 year old at home alone?"

"I'm suggesting no such thing as you well know." Collins sighed, "You _**cannot**_ have a 6 year old child sit in on all your consultations." House scowled at his boss, "Sort something out." House turned to look at Maddy, unaware of the trouble her presence was causing, "Dr Stein can look after today's appointments. Maybe one of the other parents at school could take her for the hour or so that you need a sitter?" He suggested, "Or daycare here?"

"I guess." House submitted, feeling guilty that Maddy would be shipped off to yet another daycare, he felt he was letting her down. He turned around and took her headphones off, "Let's go home."

"Don't you have sick people to see?" House shot an angry glance at his boss and shook his head.

"Bye Maddy." Collins offered, Maddy smiled and waved at him.

House and Maddy were walking down the corridor, "Daddy?" He looked down at her, "Why don't I have a mommy?"

House sighed, he had been expecting this at some point. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, Katie says that _**everyone**_ has a mommy, why don't I?"

"Because she's not around anymore." House answered, "Why was Katie asking?"

"She says I can't go to ballet class because I don't have a mommy to take me."

"Katie's stupid." House sighed, "Is this your way of asking if you can go to ballet class?"

Maddy screwed her face up, "Ballet? Uh-uh. I want to play softball."

House laughed, "Softball huh?" He silently thanked God that she wasn't a girly girl.

"Yep, Caleb says that his dad could take me with them if you say yes."

"Got it all figured out haven't you?" He smiled down at her, she grinned and nodded. "Ok, then, I'll call Caleb's dad when we get home and you can play softball."

"You still didn't tell me why I don't have a mommy." She reminded him, as fixed her safety belt in the car.

"Don't you like it just being us?"

"Yeah, but, I just wanted to know."

"Well, she left when you were a baby, and she never came back."

"She ran away from home?" Maddy asked, wide-eyed. House nodded. "Was it because of me, was I a bad baby?"

"No, you were perfect." He could feel anger swelling, "It was nothing you did. Now, you want a McDonalds for dinner?"

"Really?" House nodded. "Thank you daddy."

He smiled down at her, thinking that maybe he should be thanking her.

(The next day)

House sighed as he left his office, thanks to his complaining patients, he now had to drive to his parents to pick Maddy up, instead of going straight home. He knocked the door, his father answered.

"Hi dad, is Maddy ready to go?" He walked inside, "Where's mom?"

"With your Aunt Sarah. Maddy's in her room." He answered, "Sulking."

"Sulking?" House echoed, Maddy was generally good natured, sulking rarely. "I'll go and see her." He walked up the stairs to the spare room, generally saved for Maddy these days. "Maddy?" She was lying on her bed. "What happened, Grandpa said you were sulking."

"I'm not sulking, he told me to come up here!" She sniffed, it was obvious she'd been crying.

"Why?" House was interested, wondered if his father had changed since he was a boy.

"I didn't like what he made for dinner." She explained, "I tried to tell him I didn't like it, and he said I was being fussy."

"So what did you eat?" She remained silent. "Maddy?" He sighed, "You've not eaten." She sat up, House could see she was pale. "You feel ok?" She shook her head. "Wait here." Maddy lay back down as House walked downstairs.

"Is she still sulking?" His father asked, turning as he walked into the lounge.

"She's not eaten."

"She was being fussy, wouldn't eat what I made." His father stood up and walked into the kitchen. "You're too soft on her. That girl needs discipline"

"Like I needed discipline?" He walked away from his father, grabbing a can of soda from the refrigerator and an apple and going back to her. "Here, drink some of this."

She sipped at the soda, "Are you and Grandpa mad at each other?" House just sighed and gave her a weak smile.

She shook her head, "I still feel sick, can we please go home?"

"Sure squirt. Daycare after school as of Monday." He picked her up off of the bed and carried her downstairs, leaving without another word to his father.


	7. Chapter 7

7

1994

"House, are you going to this thing on Friday?" House's new friend James Wilson asked him. Wilson had recently joined Princeton Plainsboro as an oncologist, who's office was next to House's.

"Friday?"

"Yeah, doctors versus lawyers paintball." Wilson explained, as they walked towards the cafeteria.

"Paintball." House scoffed, "Yeah, right."

"Drinks afterward." He tried to tempt House.

"Let me make a couple of phone calls." House answered, "Arrange something for Maddy."

"Who is?" Wilson asked, House had never mentioned family in the few months they had known each other.

"My 11 year old daughter."

"Oh, I never realised you were married. Or had a daughter." Wilson remarked, House certainly kept things quiet, everyone it seemed already knew that Wilson was onto his second marriage.

"I'm not."

"Oh, you have her at weekends?" Wilson hadn't seen her at the hospital at all.

"Nope, 24/7." He stole potato chips from Wilson's lunch tray. "Well, 24/7 minus, 8 hours a day in here. And when she has sports practice." He clarified as his cellphone rang. "What? I'll be right there." He hung up, "Wanna meet her?"

"Sure." Wilson answered, "When?"

"Now." House stood up and walked out of the cafeteria, Wilson followed, frowning.

"Now?" He asked, "Isn't she at school?" They turned the corner to the ER.

"Nope." House spoke to the nurse on duty, then walked towards an exam room. "Hey." He addressed the young girl sitting on the bed, she looked up at him with watery blue eyes, and smiled at him.

"Dad!" She was holding her arm. "They think it's broken." She nodded to her arm. "Are you here to look at my arm?" She asked Wilson.

"Maddy, this is my friend, Dr Wilson."

"Hi Dr Wilson."

"James is fine." He answered, "What happened to your arm? Looks sore."

"I was running for home base when I slipped, and landed awkwardly on it." Maddy explained.

House sat down beside her, "Let me look at it." She winced as he touched her arm. "Have they arranged an X ray yet?"

"No, the teacher was just talking to the nurse before you came in."

"You've not seen a doctor yet?" He asked, annoyed. "Wait here." He stormed out.

"House..." Wilson called after him.

"He can be a bit over protective." Maddy told Wilson, as a pain shot through her arm, she took a deep breath. "James, I feel kinda sick."

"It's probably from the pain, I'll get you some water, ok?" He smiled, before walking out to get some. "Here." He handed her the paper cup.

"She needs an X-ray!" They could hear House fuming. "Yes I know it's busy here. You know what, I'd be quicker doing it myself."

Wilson popped his head out of the door. "House, you know you can't do that, she's your daughter." He reminded him.

"Jimmy, how good are you with X-rays?"

**20 mins later**

Wilson sighed, "Yeah, it's definitely broken. You're gonna need a cast."

"A cast? But I have baseball-"

"Not for 6 weeks." Wilson answered, taking the X ray down from his light box in his office. "Sorry kiddo. Let's go get that cast."

They walked down to the ER and arranged for someone to fit Maddy's cast. "Looks like school might be off for the rest of this week." House observed, as she had broken her right arm. "I'll call the principal."

"Do I need to come to work with you all week?"

"Yep. You can get Wilson to write out your science homework for you. Then you can spend the weekend with grandma. Grandpa's away at some military reunion." House suggested to Maddy, as they sat in his office.

"Yeah? I'd like that." Maddy was enthusiastic. "What will you do all weekend? Play golf?"

"Paintball actually."

Maddy laughed, "You? Paintballing?"

"Well, I'm more interested in the drinks after it." He changed the channel on the TV to monster trucks. "Doctors versus lawyers."

"So, you guys treat the people who get injured, and the lawyers encourage you to sue each other? Sounds interesting."

(Thursday)

"Ok, grandma will meet you at the bus station ok?" House was putting Maddy on the bus destined for her weekend away, "And I'll meet you here on Sunday afternoon."

"Ok, have fun tomorrow dad. Bye dad."

(Friday)

"Dammit!" House yelled as the paintball hit his rear end. He turned around to see who had shot him. "Number 17, your ass is mine." He said to himself.

"So, you got shot too?" Wilson asked, noting the large paint patch on House's rear. House nodded, irritated. "Anyway, we're off for drinks. You coming?"

"Lead on Wonderboy." House instructed. They grabbed a car and headed to a nearby bar. "Mine's a scotch." He pointed out an expensive blend.

"Hey," one of the lawyers sat down next to him at the bar, House smiled at her, she definitely had his interest. "Sorry for shooting you."

"Number 17." He observed.

"More commonly known as Stacy." She answered him, "You're number 19."

"Greg." He shook the hand that she offered.

"So you're a doctor at Princeton?"

"And you're a lawyer." He smirked, "Well, that deals with names and occupations. My place or yours?"

She looked at him open-mouthed, Wilson just shook his head and laughed. "Buy me a martini and I'll think about it."

"Add a martini to that order." Wilson sighed, handing money to the barman. He collected his drink and went to mingle with the rest of the paintballing crew.

"So you never answered my question..." House continued, as he downed his drink, "My place or yours?"

"Presumptuous aren't you?" Stacy laughed, "You're just assuming I'm single and want to go home with you."

"My place then." House answered, looking Stacy straight in the eye.

"Let's get another drink." She countered, calling the barman over and ordering another round. House gulped the drink down, while Stacy sipped at hers. "So, tell me more about you."

"Can't I just remain a mystery?"

"I need to know if you are a homicidal maniac before I go anywhere."

"Would that turn you on 'cause you do know homicide is generally frowned upon." House stood up, "The answer is no."

"Ok then." Stacy grabbed her coat and they left.


	8. Chapter 8

8

(Saturday Night)

They had went back to Stacy's apartment after paintballing, and having went back to his place to shower and change, House was now at a local pizzeria having dinner with Stacy.

"So, what are your plans for tomorrow?"Stacy asked him, as she browsed the menu, "You want to maybe do something?"

House squirmed, being a single father was usually a complication and therefore had limited House's love life in previous years. "I'm busy tomorrow."

"Oh, ok." Stacy looked disappointed.

"I wish I was free-"

"No, no it's ok." House could see that she felt rejected and felt compelled to explain. "I have to pick my daughter up from the bus station at 3."

"Daughter?"

"Yeah." House put down his menu and waved a waiter over. "She's 11."

"You're divorced?" Stacy asked, cautiously, hoping that she hadn't embarked on an affair with a married man.

"Never married," the waiter arrived, "I'll have the meat feast, Stacy?"

"Vegetable supreme." The waiter wrote down the order and walked away. "So, never married? Does your daughter live with her mother?"

"No, with me. She's been with her grandmother this weekend." House explained, hoping Stacy wouldn't want to run a mile. "Her mom isn't around."

"I'm sorry." Stacy wrongly assumed that Jane had died.

"I'm not. She walked out when Maddy was 3 days old. We've done fine without her." The bitterness was obvious.

"Oh." Stacy was shocked by what had happened and by House's unveiled comment. "She's called Maddy?" House nodded, and smiled. "You have a picture?"

House reached for his wallet and pulled out a photo. "She has a cast on her arm just now, baseball. You want to join me tomorrow?"

Stacy was unsure, "I don't know, I mean, I only met you yesterday, are you ready for me to meet the family when we don't even know where this is heading?"

"I was hoping it was heading somewhere, you're not?" House asked, disappointed, "Too much too soon, I get it."

"No, no. It's not. Are you sure she's ready to meet me?"

"She's a cool kid, don't worry, she won't start calling you mommy next week." House laughed, "Maybe you can come for dinner?"

"Sure. I'd love to." She smiled, as their pizzas arrived and they started eating.

(Sunday)

House stood at the bus station impatiently waiting for his daughter's bus to arrive, he was nervous about introducing her to Stacy. He'd had girlfriends in the past, and only introduced a few to Maddy after quite a few dates, he had a feeling this one would be different.

"Hey Dad!" She came running off the bus, House grabbed her backpack from her.

"Hey you." He hugged her, "How was your weekend?"

"It was good. Grandma took me to the science museum, and the zoo, and she bought me this." She held up a stuffed lion, "And this." A book about the human body. "This is so cool, I want to be a surgeon!"

"A surgeon?" He asked, raising his eyebrows. "You know it's more complicated than playing 'Operation'?" She nodded enthusiastically as House put her bag in the trunk of the car. "Ok, let's go home." They drove along, with Maddy chatting about her weekend. "I met someone at paintball." House started.

"Yeah?"

"She's called Stacy."

"She?" Maddy answered, "You mean you met a girlfriend?" House nodded, "What's she like?"

"She's-" House searched for a suitable word, "nice. I like her. A lot." He admitted, smiling.

"Oh." Maddy looked down, it had been just her and her father for so long, she wasn't sure how someone new being there would affect things. "That's nice."

"She's coming for dinner tonight." Maddy didn't answer him, he glanced down at her, she was staring down at her cast. "I think you'll like her."

"Like the last one?" She remarked cynically, she hadn't got along with House's last offering of a potential step mother who made it clear that children didn't feature in her plans. "Great."

"Maddy," House sighed, "She's...different. Will you just give her a chance, for me?"

"Ok dad."

Maddy was watching TV when the door bell rang late afternoon. "Maddy, can you get that?"

"Sure." She opened the door, and observed the nervous lady standing there. "Hi." She put her her best smile, "You're Stacy?"

"You must be Maddy." Stacy smiled, offering a hand for her to shake, then smiling embarrassed, when she realised that Maddy couldn't shake her hand due to her cast. "Sorry."

House appeared behind Maddy, "Maddy, honey, it's polite to actually let guests inside." He smiled at Stacy, "Come on in. Dinner won't be long."

Stacy walked in and sat on the couch opposite Maddy who was watching an old cartoon. "So, you've broken your arm, huh?"

"Yeah, playing baseball."

"Was it sore?" Maddy just nodded, not looking away from the TV. "I'm just going to see how your dad is getting on with dinner." She walked towards the kitchen. "She doesn't like me."

"She's known you ten minutes." House reminded her. "I'll speak to her."

"No! Don't." Stacy whispered, "That'll make things worse."

"So why do you think she doesn't like you?"

"She's not talking much to me, more interested in Tom and Jerry." Stacy replied, sitting at the breakfast bar.

"Stacy," House laughed, "She's 11. What did you expect?"

"Guess I'm not so good with kids." She admitted, laughing too.

"Dad," Maddy had appeared at the kitchen door, "Do they call kidneys kidneys because they look like kidney beans?"

"Good question squirt." He answered, pretending to think. "Why don't you ask Stacy?"

"Because you're a doctor." She answered.

"I'm not sure why. Greg?" Stacy asked him, "I was never any good at science." She explained to Maddy.

"I think kidney beans are kidney beans because they look like kidneys." House told them. "Maybe you could show Stacy other things in your new book.

"It's in the lounge." Maddy replied and walked back out.

"On you go." House prompted Stacy. "That's her way of inviting you to join her." Stacy followed Maddy out to the lounge, House stood by the lounge door listening as Maddy explained the next organ to Stacy, who had mastered the art of sounding interested. "Sorry to break up anatomy 101, but dinner is ready."

"But-" Maddy started.

"Now Maddy."

"You can show me more after dinner." Stacy told Maddy as they walked through to the table.

They ate dinner, chatting about the paintball, Maddy's weekend away, then watched some TV. "Anyway, Maddy, you have school tomorrow, I think it's time for bed."

"It was nice meeting you." Stacy smiled, as Maddy got up to go to bed.

"You too." She walked to her bedroom, then reappeared. "Stacy?"

House and Stacy turned around, House sighed, hoping that their night wouldn't be sabotaged by Maddy constantly interrupting, as she had been known to do with previous girlfriends.

"Maddy, time for bed." House reiterated, removing his hand from around Stacy's shoulder.

"Greg, she was wanting to speak to me." Stacy reminded him. "What's wrong Maddy?"

"Well," she started, "all my friends back at Grandma's signed my cast, and Grandma signed it, and James signed it and even dad signed it, but you've not signed it yet."

"You want me to sign your cast?" Maddy nodded, "Sure." Stacy took the marker that Maddy offered. She scribbled on the cast.

"Thank you for the anatomy lesson, Stacy." Maddy read out, "Thanks Stacy."

"You're very welcome." And Maddy disappeared back to her room. House and Stacy sat for a while longer, enjoying a bottle of wine, when House glanced at the clock.

"I should go and check that she's asleep." He stood up and went to the bedroom, Maddy was still awake and leafing through her book. "You should be asleep."

She yawned, "I know." House took her book from her and placed it in her bookcase.

"Night kiddo." He went to switch her bedroom light off.

"Night dad." He switched off the light, "Dad?" He turned around.

"Yeah?"

"I like Stacy."

He smiled at her, "Me too." He returned to the lounge and sat down beside Stacy again. "I think you have the thumbs up." He explained, refilling the wine glasses.

"She's lovely. You've done a good job with her."


	9. Chapter 9

9

**1 year later** - **1995**

"You like it when Stacy comes over don't you?" House asked Maddy as they sat eating dinner one night.

"If you're gonna ask if I mind if she stays over, I already know that she does." Maddy answered him, pushing her food around the plate.

"How would you feel if I asked her to move in?"

"Really?" House nodded, "I'd like that." She put down her fork, "Do you mind if I leave dinner?"

"You sick?" House asked, noticing that she hadn't eaten.

"Stomach ache." She answered, standing up. "Is Stacy coming over tonight?"

"I don't think so, she has a big day in court tomorrow."

"Oh." Maddy looked down disappointment clear.

"You wanted to see her about something?" House frowned at her, confused, curious.

"It doesn't matter." She replied, turning to return to her bedroom.

"Sure?" Maddy simply nodded. "Ok then." House finished his dinner, then decided to call Stacy to discuss Maddy's strange behaviour.

"Greg, isn't it obvious?" Stacy told him.

"What's obvious?"

"She's 12. Stomach pain. Not talking to you about it."

"Great." House muttered, remembering Maddy's first birthday when his mother had reminded him that at some point all children needed their mother.

"I'm on my way over." Stacy told him and hung up.

House went to the bathroom and rummaged in the medicine cabinet for tylenol, then filled a glass with water, taking it through to Maddy's bedroom. "For the stomach ache."He declared, handing her the tablets. "You feel sick at all?" He asked, feeling her forehead, hoping it was a stomach bug.

"No, just stomach pain." She answered, drinking some of the water.

"Nothing else?" He prompted. She thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Stacy's on her way over."

"I thought she wasn't coming tonight." Maddy sat up straighter.

"I called her." He sat down beside his daughter on the bed. "Thought you could talk to her."

"You know?"

"I am a doctor you know." He lied, annoyed that it had taken Stacy to make him realise. "You could've talked to me. I thought we were friends."

"You're a guy too." Maddy observed, as the doorbell rang. House sighed, glad the doorbell had stopped the conversation.

"Hey." He greeted Stacy with a hug.

"How is she?"

"I gave her tylenol, she's in her room." House explained, as Stacy walked in. "Go on through."

"Hi." Maddy looked up as Stacy walked in. "Tylenol working?" Maddy shrugged. "Not the kind of thing you want to talk to your dad about is it?" Maddy shook her head.

" Sometimes I wish my mom hadn't left."

"Because of one day?" Stacy asked, sitting down. "I know there are things that Dads aren't great for, he's trying his best. You know I'm just on the end of the phone."

"I know." Maddy sighed, "Will you be living with us soon?"

"I don't know, would you like me to?" Maddy nodded. House and Stacy had discussed the possibility a few nights before. "I'll need to talk to your dad about that." Stacy stood up, leaving a bag on Maddy's bed, containing a few essentials. "Thought you might need these."

"Thanks Stacy." Maddy smiled, "Sorry dad called you, I know you have court tomorrow."

"It's no trouble, honestly." Stacy assured her, "Now, you want a sandwich or something, I know you didn't have dinner."

"Maybe just some toast or something."

"Ok, be right back." Stacy walked out, to see House standing outside Maddy's door, where he had been eavesdropping. "Greg!" She whispered harshly, shooing him towards the kitchen, where she proceeded to make some toast, put some cookies on a plate and pour a glass of milk. "She's missing having a mother around." Stacy told House, as she walked out of the kitchen.

"Can't miss what you never had." House noted, dryly.

"You know what I mean Greg."

"You're applying for the position?"

"Is that your way of asking me to move in with you guys?" Stacy asked, turning to face him.

"I guess." House answered, "If you want to that is." She nodded, giving him a kiss on the lips. "Maddy needs another female around the place, I thought we were doing ok, but I'm obviously not enough."

"It's not that, Greg, some things are just easier woman to woman. I'd better take this through." She disappeared into Maddy's room, with a warning glance to House not to eavesdrop.

"Thanks." Maddy took the plate from her, and started to nibble at the toast.

"I was thinking, maybe your dad would let you take off school tomorrow. I'm sure it's be ok for you to read in his office, if you still don't feel so good. Then tomorrow night you can help me pack up some stuff at my place."

"You're moving in?" Maddy asked with a smile.

"Yeah, so we can have that movie night we talked about soon." Stacy grinned, perhaps being a step mom wouldn't be as tough as she imagined in the past.

"That'd be great!" Maddy replied, then yawned.

"Ok, well get some sleep. Night Maddy."

"Night Stacy." She walked back into the lounge, where House was watching TV.

"Ok, you and Maddy are spending some time together tomorrow. I told her you'd take her to work with you tomorrow."

"But-" House interrupted.

"She's going to read in your office." Stacy told him, before he could tell her reasons why she couldn't join him. "Then tomorrow night, you are helping me pack. For my move."

House broke into a grin. "You're moving in, are you?"

"Well, Maddy asked me to."

"She did?" House asked, "Smart kid."

"Yeah, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree does it? But I have court tomorrow, so I gotta go." She leaned in to kiss him.

"You gotta?" House whined like a 5 year old.

"Yeah, but after tomorrow, I won't have to keep running out."

"True." House answered, "Night." And Stacy walked out to prepare for her court date. House sat for a while, then decided to check on Maddy. She was sleeping, he sat on the edge of her bed. "I thought I was doing the right thing when I told your mom she couldn't see you, when she came back, but I was still so mad at her for leaving us. Maybe I was wrong. I thought we'd be fine on our own." He stroked her hair, then kissed her forehead, and stood up to walk out.

"Dad?" He hadn't realised she'd been awake. "She chose to leave us. We don't need her now Stacy's here. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about today."

"That's ok squirt." He turned to face her, "Go to sleep, busy day tomorrow."

"Night dad."


	10. Chapter 10

10

**1998 **

Maddy let herself into her house and dumped her backpack on the lounge floor. "Dad?" she called out. He had phoned in sick for the past 2 days with some sort of muscle strain in his leg. "Dad?" She checked his bedroom, perhaps he was having a nap, as the pain killers he had been given were quite strong. She wandered over to the telephone and noted one message. She pressed play. "Maddy, it's Stacy. Your father's been admitted to Princeton Plainsboro. It's his leg. I'll call as soon as I know anything." Maddy grabbed her bag and ran back out of the door, and hailed a cab to the hospital. She didn't know where to go, so headed for Wilson's office, figuring he would know where she could find Stacy and her father. She knocked on his office door.

"Come in." He called, she pushed the door open. "Maddy?"

"James, where's my dad? How is he?" She asked, breathlessly.

"Whoa, whoa. Slow down, take a breath. He's on the surgical ward, I'll take you to him, ok?" He said, calmly, standing up to walk her up to the ward.

"Surgical ward? He's got muscle strain."

Wilson sighed, "It's not muscle strain, Maddy." She stopped walking turning to face him.

"What is it?"

"He's had an aneurysm, you know what that is?" She nodded, she'd read about them in her biology textbook. "Well, it ruptured, and clotted."

"Isn't that a good thing? It fixed itself, right?" She asked, as they reached the waiting area.

"It-uh-cut off the blood supply to the muscle."

"Meaning?" She asked Wilson, he didn't answer. "James?"

"They want to amputate."

"Amputate his leg?!" She asked, tears welling up. "But he, I. I should go and see him."

"He's just through there." Wilson pointed to a private room, the door closed. Maddy could hear her father as she approached.

"You're not going to amputate my leg. Do a bypass." He was instructing whoever was in the room with him. Maddy smiled, he always knew best, or thought he did. She opened the door and walked in to see a stressed Stacy, and another doctor who she recognised as Lisa Cuddy.

"Maddy." House sighed, he hadn't wanted her to see him like this.

"Dad, how are you feeling?" She asked, walking over to him and taking his hand.

"Sore, but a bypass with fix that." He remarked, more to Cuddy than his daughter.

"I said I'd call you when I had news. You didn't have to come down here, it'll be hours before we know anything."

"He's my father, Stacy. I should be here, he needs me."

"Maddy, you don't have to stay." House told her, she shook her head.

"So, what's the plan?" She asked Cuddy, "Will a bypass work or do you need to amputate?"

"Amputation is by far the safer option for your father."

"Hello, lying here." House reminded them. "Bypass is just as good, and extra bonus I get to have two legs."

"Greg, it's just a leg."

"Just _**my**_ leg." He answered, "I quite like it where it is."

"But-"

"Bypass." He stubbornly interrupted.

"Ok." Cuddy admitted defeat, "I'll notify the surgical team."

"Thanks." House added, sarcastically.

"Dad, if amputation is safer, shouldn't you go for it?" Maddy suggested, fear obvious in her eyes.

He sighed, "Bypass will restore the blood flow. I'll be in pain after it, but they have great stuff here called morphine, I'll be ok." Maddy bit her lip, "Trust me."

"Ok, dad." She leaned down to hug him, "Promise me you'll be ok." Her tears were now obvious. She was terrified of losing the only parent she had ever had.

"Maddy, why don't you wait outside with Lisa? I need to talk to Stacy alone."

Maddy nodded and turned around to walk out. "See you after your surgery." House smiled as best he could, and waved at her.

He turned to face Stacy, who was trying hard to keep her emotions in check. "I need you to promise me, that if I..."

"Greg, don't." She cast her eyes down, then looked at him again.

"Listen, it's important." He had tears in his eyes now too, "If I don't come through this, will you take care of Maddy? She'll need someone."

Stacy nodded, "Of course I will. I wish you'd reconsider."

"No." He leaned over and grabbed a marker from his bedside trolley. "Help me with something?"

"Anything." They proceeded to write 'Not this leg' on his left leg, 'Not this leg either' on his right. They said what each believed could be final goodbyes, as the nurse came to take him away.


	11. Chapter 11

11

(4 hours later)

Stacy was sitting impatiently in the waiting area, Cuddy beside her, while Maddy paced up and down. "How much longer will he be in surgery?" Stacy asked Cuddy.

"I don't know, it depends on the extent of damage, could be a half hour, could be hours yet." She put her hand on Stacy's shoulder, "You can go home if you want, I'll call as soon as he's out, if you'd like."

"No, no. I want to stay." Stacy answered, then glanced at Maddy. She stood up and walked over to her, "Maybe you should go home, huh? One of us should get some sleep tonight."

"I'm staying." Maddy stated, rubbing her forehead, distracted.

"Alright." Stacy gave her a slight smile, glad of the support.

Maddy sighed, stopped pacing and collapsed onto one of the seats in the waiting area. Stacy could make out the sound of sniffing, and moved to sit beside her. "What if he dies, Stacy?" Stacy didn't answer, just wrapped her arms around the girl who she considered to be like a daughter, and they cried together. Cuddy feeling out of place, decided to check on House's progress.

Cuddy was just about to walk out of the waiting area when Wilson appeared, armed with packs of sandwiches and bottles of water. "How's surgery going?" He asked Cuddy, then glanced into the waiting area, seeing both Maddy and Stacy upset, he felt the blood drain from his face. "He's not-"

"No, no." She answered, Wilson breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm just going to check on what's happening." She glanced back at Maddy and Stacy. "Will you please get them to either eat something before they both pass out or get them to go home and sleep?"

Wilson held up the bag he had in his hand. "Already on it." He smiled at Cuddy. He walked over to them, "Hey. How are you guys holding up?"

Stacy looked up, managing to control her emotions. "We're ok." She looked down at Maddy, still tear stained and obviously upset. "Maddy?" She just nodded.

"Eaten anything since you've been here?" Wilson asked both of them.

"I had a coffee." Stacy answered, Maddy just shook her head.

"Ok, option 1 - eat a full sandwich, and drink the water, or Option 2, go home and rest. What's it to be?" Wilson asked, hands on hips.

"I'm fine." Maddy lied, her head was pounding and the nausea was almost overpowering. Wilson raised his eyebrows at her. "Really."

"Please?" Wilson pleaded, half joking. "Half a sandwich?"

"You got any that are just cheese?" He reached into the bag and handed her a sandwich and bottle of water. Maddy unwrapped the sandwich and gulped a few bites down. "Happy?" She asked Wilson, who just sighed. "I'm going to be sick." She mumbled and ran off in the direction of the bathroom.

Stacy sighed and stood up to follow her. "Stay, I'll go." Wilson offered, walking off after her. "Maddy?" He slowly pushed the door open, to see her on her knees in front of the toilet bowl, heaving. He knelt down beside her, and held her hair back. She finally sat up, exhausted. "Here." Wilson handed her the bottle of water, she sipped it. "Feeling better?"

"I get migraine if I don't eat, but with dad being so ill, I just couldn't." She explained, standing up. "Sorry."

"It's ok, as long as you're ok."

"I just need to lie down." She told him, "And before you ask, I'm not going home."

"I have a couch in my office." Wilson offered, "Why don't you have a nap there and I'll come get you when he's out of surgery." She looked unsure, "Compromise?"

"Ok." She walked back over to Stacy, explained the situation and then left again with Wilson. She lay down on his couch, and he covered her with his coat and turned off the light. "Promise you'll come get me." Wilson nodded and walked out.

Wilson walked back up to the waiting area and sat down beside Stacy. "Is Maddy ok?"

"Yeah, she's fine." He answered, "How are you?"

Stacy sighed, "Honestly? I'm terrified. What if he doesn't make it, James?"

"House is tough, he'll be ok." Wilson prayed that he was telling her the truth.

Stacy and Wilson both looked up as the door to the waiting area opened, Cuddy came walking in. "They're just finished. He's made it through ok."

"Thank god. Can we see him?"

"Soon, we'll just get him settled first. He's still asleep, and he'll be on some pretty powerful pain killers so don't expect much." Cuddy told Stacy, who nodded in understanding. "Did Maddy go home?" Cuddy asked, frowning, when she couldn't see her.

"She's sleeping in my office. She was sick earlier and refused to go home." Wilson explained, "I promised I'd wake her when he was out of surgery."

"Let her sleep a while longer. We should see how he is before we let her in to see him, I don't want to upset her." Stacy answered. Wilson looked to Cuddy for advice, raising his eyebrows, she just nodded in agreement with Stacy. Just then the doors opened and a gurney was pushed through containing an unconscious House, Stacy ran over to him, and walked beside the gurney as they pushed him back into his room. She settled herself at the chair beside his bed, and watched helplessly as the nurse set up his IV, and wrote notes on his chart. She wasn't sure how long she was sitting when she noticed his eyes slowly opening. "Hey." She whispered to him, taking his hand.

"I still have two legs?" He asked hoarsely. Stacy laughed and nodded. "You've stayed here the whole time?" She nodded. "Maddy?"

"She's asleep in Wilson's office, she refused to go home until you were out of surgery." House sighed, "I told Wilson to let her sleep for a bit longer."

"Wilson stayed too?"

"Uh-huh. And Cuddy. How's the pain?" She asked him, noting him pressing his morphine pump. "Bad?"

"Morphine's taking the edge off." He told her, although the pain was still very much there.

The room door opened. "Hey, how you feeling?" Wilson asked, walking in.

"Can you up the morphine?"

Wilson picked up the chart and looked through it, then shook his head. "You're on the maximum, give you any more we risk respiratory arrest."

House sighed, "We _**risk**_ it, doesn't mean it's gonna happen."

"No, maybe they could give you a sedative?"

"Yeah, that's going to help." House muttered. "What's the use in having a friend who's a doctor if they won't help you out. You should re-read your Hippocratic Oath."

"First do no harm." Wilson stated, "I'm not going to overdose you."

"Fine, well maybe you could see about that sedative." Wilson sighed, rubbed his eyes, and walked out.

"Greg, that was uncalled for."

"I'm in pain, I wanted pain relief." He answered, closing his eyes.

Wilson walked back in, and injected something into House's IV line. "I'll go and get Maddy." He told House and Stacy. He walked back to his office and quietly pushed the door open. Maddy was still asleep on the couch. "Maddy?" He shook her shoulder gently.

"Is the surgery over?" She asked him sitting up.

"Yeah, he's ok." She stood up, "You're feeling better?" She nodded. "Ok, you want to go and see him?"

"Yeah." She answered, "How is he?"

"In pain, but they've given him something to help him sleep." Wilson explained as they walked back. They reached House's room, Maddy hovered outside for a moment. "Stacy's in there already."

Maddy walked in. "Hi dad."

"Hey squirt." He replied, groggy from the sedative.

"I was so worried."

"I'm fine. Told you I would be."

"You're in pain?" She asked him, remembering Wilson's comment.

"It's not too bad." He lied, "Now, I want you and Stacy to go home ok? I know you have that biology test tomorrow." He hated Maddy seeing him like this.

"But-"

"I'm just going to be sleeping anyway."

"Ok, love you dad." She kissed his cheek, and walked out. "Stacy?"

"I'll be out in a minute." Stacy turned back towards House, "Get some sleep, I'll see you tomorrow morning, ok?" House nodded, and closed his eyes.


	12. Chapter 12

12

Maddy finished writing her paper, "Time's up." The teacher announced. "Bring your papers to the front, and we'll see who studied. Results on Monday." Maddy handed her paper in and walked out.

"Hey, a few of us are going to the mall, you wanna join us?" Her friend Sam asked her as they walked out of the building.

"Love to, but my dad's ill, I need to get back to the hospital." Maddy explained. "Thanks though."

Maddy arrived at Princeton Plainsboro a half hour later, to see an extremely worried Stacy talking with Cuddy. "Maddy, hi." Cuddy greeted her nervously.

"How is he?" She asked Cuddy, Cuddy glanced at Stacy. "What's going on?"

"Maddy, honey, sit down."

"Stacy?!" Maddy started to panic, "Tell me! He's gone?!"

"No, he's had a cardiac arrest but they got him back." She started to explain. "Now, he was in an awful lot of pain, but he's asked to be put in a coma to sleep through it."

"Coma?" Maddy asked, "How long for? Will it work?"

"There's another option, removing the damaged muscle that led to his cardiac arrest."

"Is he willing to have that done?" Maddy asked Stacy, who shook her head.

"The use of his leg would be affected, but the risk of cardiac arrest would be greatly reduced."

"He wouldn't be able to use his leg?"

"No, but it would be significantly weaker." Cuddy explained.

"But he doesn't want it." Maddy frowned, "He thinks the coma will fix it." Cuddy nodded.

"Can't you convince him?" She asked Stacy.

"No, but if he's in a coma, I can make the decision to have it done on his behalf. I'm his health care proxy."

"Do a procedure that you know he doesn't want?"

"Save his life." Cuddy clarified.

"Stacy?" Stacy looked up at Maddy, "I'd do it if it was my call."

"Can you get me the forms?" Stacy asked Cuddy, who nodded and disappeared.

"Can I see him?"

"Yeah, he's already in the coma, we couldn't wait." Stacy explained, "I'm sorry, Lisa thinks that he can still hear us."

"I just want to see him before surgery." Maddy explained, walking in to see him and sitting by his bedside. She sat beside him, holding his hand, telling him all about her biology test that day, until a team arrived to take him to surgery. "We're doing the right thing, aren't we?" She asked Stacy as they sat in the cafeteria picking at their food, not wanting to repeat the night before.

"I think we are, I just don't know if he'll see it like that." Stacy answered her.

"You're saving his life." Wilson had walked in to the cafeteria and was standing behind Maddy. "Well I see you're being more sensible tonight."

"Well, throwing up isn't really very productive at a time like this." Maddy smiled at him. "Join us." Wilson sat down. "Cuddy filled you in?"

"Yeah, I'm just glad someone saw sense."

"He shouldn't be too much longer in surgery." Stacy told Wilson, "Lisa's gonna come and find us when it's over."

"Do you think he'll forgive us?" Maddy asked Wilson, clearly worried about House's reaction.

"I'm sure he'll realise it was for the best." Wilson knew how stubborn House was, and knew he wouldn't admit that he'd been wrong.

Cuddy appeared at the door of the cafeteria and looked around, Stacy stood up and jogged over to her. "He's ok?"

"He's out of surgery, you can see him for a little while, but he needs rest."

"I'll just get Maddy and we'll head up."She returned to her table and told Maddy and Wilson the good news. They walked up to recovery, nervous about his reaction but relieved that the operation had been a success.

"Dad?" Maddy walked in first to see an exhausted looking House opening his eyes.

"Hey." He smiled weakly at her. She noticed his hand moving over his thigh, noting the thick dressing. "What-"

"Greg, before you say anything, I-"

"You signed off on this?!" Even groggy from anaesthetic, his anger was obvious.

"We thought you were going to die."Stacy answered him, justifying her decision.

"Get out." He turned his head to face the wall.

"Dad, please." Maddy pleaded with him.

"Go." He whispered, Maddy fled the room in tears, Stacy following.

"How is he?" Wilson asked Stacy, noting Maddy's reaction.

"Angry."

"He'll come round." He assured her, hugging her.

"Did you see where Maddy went?" Stacy asked, calmly, looking around.

"Headed out that way." Wilson asked, pointing at the exit. "You go and find her, I'll talk to House."

Without another word Stacy left, searching for Maddy, finding her sitting on a bench outside, in tears. "Hey, he's not himself right now."

"My dad hates me." She sniffed.

"I'm the one who signed the form, it's me he's mad at, not you."

"But, Stacy, if I was his proxy, I'd have done the same. He thinks I've betrayed him. I just didn't want to lose him."

"Look, why don't you go to the car, I'll just tell Wilson we're leaving and we can go home ok?"Stacy suggested, handing her the car keys. "Well?" Stacy asked Wilson, as he walked out of House's room.

"I tried." Wilson sighed, "Look, you did the right thing, ok?"

"He doesn't see it like that."

"He will, in time."

"In time, yeah. There's nothing I can do here, Maddy and I are going home. Thank you for trying."

"No problem, Night Stacy." And she walked away.


	13. Chapter 13

Just a quick thank you for the reviews, and enjoy this new chapter! Ally x

13

**2000**

"Should you be taking as many pills as that?" Maddy asked her father as he swallowed even more of his vicodin.

"Who's the doctor here?" He gruffly answered. "I think I know more about this than you."

"Fine, kill yourself with pills,see if I care." Maddy had taken just about enough of her father's comments for one day. "Here." She handed him a letter that she had received that morning.

"I sent you to a good school, thought they'd at least teach you how to read." He called after her as she disappeared into her bedroom, reappearing a few minutes later with a large, full back pack. "You off somewhere?"

"I'm going to move in with Stacy, for a while, before we both say something that we can't take back." She explained, her voice shaky. Stacy had left 6 months earlier, unable to cope with House's resentment over her decision to operate.

"Is there another guy you two are planning to cripple?" He asked, lifting his cane for effect.

"Been two years, get over it." She said, walking out, slamming the front door behind him.

House sat, sulking for a while, then curiosity got the better of him and he glanced at the letter Maddy had left him. It was a letter of acceptance from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, the very place House had studied himself. He sighed, trying to recall the moment that he had lost his little girl. He looked at the phone, tempted to call and congratulate her, tell her he was proud of her, maybe even apologise. Instead, he drank the last of his bourbon and called Wilson, who was in the middle of his second divorce.

" James Wilson." A tired voice answered the cell phone.

"Hey, it's me."

"House?" Wilson sounded surprised, "Are you drunk?!" His friend didn't sound the same.

"I will be later. Maddy's moved out, to Stacy's."

"Oh." Wilson didn't sound too shocked, "What did you do?"

"Of course it's **my** fault." House answered, sarcastically.

"Tell me what happened."

"Just pestered me about my vicodin, then told me she didn't care if I killed myself with them." House could picture Wilson screwing his face up as he told him. "She didn't even tell me that she'd been accepted to Johns Hopkins."

"She got in?!" Wilson exclaimed, "That's great, I know she was nervous about it."

"She didn't even tell me she'd applied." House sighed, "I've screwed up."

"Yeah you have." Wilson told him, "Want me to call her?"

"I think I'm the only one who can fix this."

"Tread carefully, call me." Wilson hung up.

House swallowed his pride and dialled Stacy's number. "Hello?"

"Hi Stacy."

"Greg. I wondered how long it would be before you called."

"Is Maddy there?"

"You wanna talk to her?"

"No, just want to see how accurate the tracking device I placed on her at birth is." He replied, immediately regretting it.

"Maddy, it's your father." He could hear Stacy tell her, heard a sniff, then Stacy was back. "Now's not a good time."

"Is she ok?"

"Not really."

"Can I come over?" He hoped she would say yes.

"Yeah, you know the address?"

He confirmed the details and hung up. He called a cab and headed to Stacy's, nervously hobbling up to the front door and ringing the doorbell. "Come in." Stacy told him as she opened the door. He lowered his head and walked in. "Good news about medical school, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is." He smiled, "Where is she?"

"In the spare room, second on the right." House followed Stacy's instruction and knocked on the door.

"Stacy?" He heard Maddy ask, so he pushed the door open. "No, it's me."

"What are you doing here?" She asked him sitting up on the bed.

"I wanted to talk." He pulled himself into a sitting position beside her. "How did this happen? We used to be best buddies, now you don't even tell me when you get into med school."

"I wanted to but-" She sighed, "You've changed, I know you've never forgiven me or Stacy for making that decision."

"You did what you had to, or thought you had to." He admitted, "That's why you're going to make a great doctor."

"You think?" She looked up at him, hopefully.

"Hey, you've got the right genes." He smiled, "I don't think, I know. Now, are you ready to come home?" He asked, standing up.

"Stacy's promised me pizza and chick flick night to celebrate getting in. Even a glass or two of champagne." Maddy explained, "You don't mind?"

"No, but you will be coming home?" He asked hopefully.

"Yeah, tomorrow." She stood up to join him, "Why don't you and James have a guys night? He could use it I think."

"Think I will." He walked out of the room.

"Dad," Maddy started, "I don't want you to kill yourself with pills. Heat of the moment and all."

"I know squirt."

"Hey, one day that'll be Dr Squirt to you." She laughed, walking into the lounge where Stacy was just looking out some movies.

"Everything ok?" Stacy asked her, noting the change in mood.

"Yeah, I think so." House nodded in agreement.

"You're leaving?" Stacy asked House as he walked toward the front door.

"Chick flicks don't do it for me. Plus, I have a depressed oncologist to cheer up." He explained, "See you later." And he left.


	14. Chapter 14

14

House headed back to his apartment and proceeded to call Wilson, and invite him over for chinese take-out and beers.

"Wilson, come in." House greeted his friend.

"You spoke to Maddy?" Wilson asked as he settled himself on House's couch. House nodded, taking a gulp of his beer. "You guys are ok?"

"Yep."

"And she's where?" Wilson asked, curious. He had wanted to congratulate her on med school.

"Still at Stacy's. Celebrating." House explained, his eyes not moving from his TV show.

"She didn't come home?"

"She's staying with Stacy tonight and coming home tomorrow."

"So," Wilson began, "You didn't know that she'd applied to med school?" House shook his head. "Did you even know how her finals went?"

"She aced them." House replied, with a knowing grin, although he only knew about the finals because he had overheard her talking to Stacy on the phone about them. She had merely told him that she passed. House sighed, "How did we end up like this?"

"Huh?" Wilson asked, turning to face his friend.

"You're, what, 31, onto your second divorce, and my daughter neglects to tell me that she's applied for med school. She told you, didn't she?"

"Yeah, she needed some advice." Wilson explained, "I helped her with her application."

"I should've been the one doing that. You were too busy cheating on your wife."

Wilson shifted uneasily, reminded of his actions. "Thanks for that."

"I appreciate your helping her." House sighed, "You know I tried so hard not to turn out like my father, looks like I did. She didn't talk to me about college."

"You're not your father, House." Wilson assured him, "It was just a rough patch."

"I often wonder what would've happened if I'd let Maddy's mother have custody when she asked."

"She wanted custody, but I thought-" Wilson was stopped by House shaking his head.

"She did leave when Maddy was 3 days old, but showed up on her first birthday, wanting to come to some sort of arrangement. I sent her away."

"Oh." Wilson thought for a moment. "She didn't pursue it?"

"No."

"Well, she didn't sound that serious about it. You probably did the right thing, for Maddy by the sound of it." House looked over at him, frowning slightly. "You did a good job, House. This was a blip, to be expected. You guys weren't going to be best buddies all day, everyday. Look at her, she's well adjusted, she's off to med school..." Wilson stopped, as he noticed House smiled sadly.

"She's leaving."

"To go and be like you. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." Wilson noted, smiling.

"I don't want her to be like me. Miserable." House answered, "Look at me, seriously" Wilson sighed.

"You're a good father, you save lives no one else could. Isn't that enough?" Wilson asked him. House just shrugged, his confidence as a father severely shaken by the days revelation.


	15. Chapter 15

15

**2004**

"So, you like it?" House asked his daughter as they stood beside her new car, a present to celebrate her recent return from medical school. They stood outside House's apartment, Maddy having moved back to Princeton for a few weeks vacation before applying for internships.

"Like it? I love it!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him, almost making him fall over. "Thanks dad."

"Well, well, if it isn't Dr House Jr." She heard Wilson comment, as he joined them. "Congratulations Maddy, I knew you could do it."

"Thanks James." She grinned widely at him. "Madeleine House MD, at your service."

"So what are your plans now?" Wilson asked her, and they walked back up to House and Maddy's apartment.

"Well, for the next few weeks, I'm just going to chill out. And then, well, I have a couple of ideas." She explained, opening the front door.

"Care to elaborate?" House asked, eyebrows raised.

"Nope." She smiled, knowing it would drive him crazy not to know everything.

"Any ideas about specializing?" Wilson asked her, as they sat on the couch.

"Well, my rotations gave me plenty to think about. Pediatrics, oncology, immunology, neurology, emergency medicine. I'm still mulling it over."

"Oncology is a good specialty." He answered, "I can help you with contacts."

"Oh, please." House scoffed, "It's a tumor, it's not a tumor. Hardly rocket science." Wilson sighed at this, whereas Maddy just laughed and roll her eyes.

"Let me guess, you'd much rather I went for diagnostics?" She asked House, who shook his head. "No?"

"Only room for one House in that game."

"Scared I'll out-diagnose you?" She enquired, a cheeky smirk on her face. House just narrowed his eyes and walked into the kitchen.

"Good one." Wilson grinned, Maddy was the only one he had ever seen leave House rendered speechless.

"Actually..." House began, as he walked back out of the kitchen.

"Here it comes..." She smirked.

"I would say go with pediatrics."

"Pediatrics?" Wilson asked, trying to figure out House's motive. "Why pediatrics?"

"I don't have a pediatrician on my team."

"You want me on your team?"

"No, but it would be useful to have a pediatrician to bounce ideas off of. The underagers get sick too you know." House answered.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot. All decisions I make concerning my life must be beneficial for you."

"If not, why bother to have kids?" House remarked, handing Wilson a beer he had retrieved while in the kitchen. "Isn't that true Wilson?"

"Or do you think that's not the reason to have kids, that you should just want them to be happy with their own choices, made for their _**own**_ reasons?" Maddy asked, smiling sweetly at House.

"I, uh, well." Wilson stuttered, as he sat awkwardly between the two House's.

"Wilson doesn't have kids, his opinion is biased." House observed.

"You think he's going to agree with me because he's not a father and therefore biased." Maddy retorted, shaking her head at House, "Not because I'm right."

"I really-" Wilson tried to interrupt.

"Choose." House ordered.

"Everything we do shouldn't revolve around our parents." Maddy re-iterated her opinion. "Did Grandma and Grandpa use you to serve their own grand plan?"

"I don't want to talk about them." House stated simply, walking away from Maddy, who frowned at Wilson in bewilderment.

"Dad?" She followed him into the kitchen, "What did I say?"

"Nothing." His voice was emotionless, not even a hint of the playful tone from a few minutes before.

"I was only joking about Grandma and Grandpa."

"I know." He answered, looking up at her. "I just want what's best for you, Maddy. What will make you happy. If diagnostics is that thing, or pediatrics, or even oncology, I want you to have that." He told her sincerely. "Go tell Wilson you were right."

"Why do you always avoid seeing Grandpa?" This issue had bothered Maddy for sometime, the avoidance had been more obvious since House's infarction.

"It's not important."

"Yes it is."

"You don't remember, do you?" He asked her, sitting down at the kitchen table with her. Wilson, unsure what to do, hovered outside the kitchen door, listening. Maddy shook her head. "He was always strict with me when I was a boy, but when he tried to do the same to you, I knew he'd never change. I tried never to leave him to look after you on his own again. It was easier just to avoid him completely."

"He didn't let me eat dinner, I got sick." She remembered, looking up at House open mouthed. "I was only-" She paused as she tried to remember.

"You were 6."

"What did he do to you?" She asked cautiously.

"I don't want to talk-" A glance from Maddy made him continue. "He used to make me sleep in the yard if I'd misbehaved, ice baths. Started when I was 5."

"Why didn't Grandma stop him?" Maddy had tears in her eyes.

"She was a good little housewife who believed that dad could do no wrong. It was worse if she was away visiting Aunt Sarah, I used to beg her to take me with her but..."House still showed little emotion.

"I can't believe that, god. I-" She stood up and walked over to the window.

"I know I've made mistakes bringing you up, taken things out on you that I shouldn't have." Maddy guessed her was talking about the arguments after the infarction. "I never wanted to turn out like him. I didn't want you to end up hating me." Wilson stood outside of the kitchen, in shock, never before had he heard House open up so much, now some of House's attitude made sense. He walked back over to the couch and sat down.

"I never hated you. You thought I went to Hopkins to get away?" House sheepishly nodded. "I didn't. I want to be a good doctor, that's why I went. I wanted to be like you." She smiled at him, and hugged him. "Pediatrics could be a good specialty."

"Or diagnostics." House conceded, smiling half heartedly back.


	16. Chapter 16

16

**(A Week Later)**

House stood by his white board, looking at the symptoms. His three fellows, Foreman, Cameron and Chase were all discussing possible causes, and subsequently being shot down by House. Maddy quietly opened the door and walked in.

"Lupus?" She asked, standing in the doorway.

House turned, "It's never lupus."

"Never in the whole history of the universe has it ever been lupus?" She asked, raising her eyebrows, and smiling. Chase grinned, watching the interaction.

"Can I help you?" Cameron asked, frowning at Maddy.

"Psych ward's upstairs, now run along and I won't tell the judge you broke your restraining order." House told Maddy in all seriousness.

"Is that anyway to talk to the hospital's newest intern? Could seriously put me off medicine."

"Intern?" House asked, "You're working here?" He tried hard to suppress a grin.

"I just had a meeting with Lisa and I start on Monday. Pediatrics, possibly emergency medicine." Maddy explained, smiling.

"Congratulations." House answered, walking through to his office, Maddy following, leaving the fellows to figure out who Maddy was. "I didn't know you were meeting Cuddy."

"I didn't want to say anything in case she didn't hire me."

"You're fruit of this hospital's best doctor's loins, of course she was going to hire you." House answered.

Maddy faked shock, "You mean Wilson's my father?!" She joked with House, who playfully pouted. "Now if you'd said caustic guy's loins..." She sat in the chair opposite his desk. "Do you think Lisa hired me just because you're my father?"

"Lisa?" House started, "Now you're a member of staff here, it's Cuddy. Mistress of all evil." Maddy gave him a serious stare. "No, one of me is enough for anyone to handle."

"Well, I'd better let you get back to your differential." Maddy said, standing up to walk out.

"Ok, I'll see you at home." House answered, opening the door to the conference room. "So, kids, any new ideas?"

"Who was that?" Chase asked, grinning, turning to watch Maddy walk back down the corridor.

"She's mine, paws off wombat." House smiled sweetly at Chase.

"Nice catch." Chase mumbled, turning back to face House.

Maddy continued down the corridor, bumping into Wilson on her way out. "James, hi!" She greeted him. "How are you?"

He tried to smile, "I'm ok. More importantly, how are you?"

"I'm good, yeah. What's wrong?" She could read Wilson, having known him for over ten years, making a point of meeting him for lunch any time she was home from college.

"Just lost a patient." He explained, "So anyway, what are you doing here, you're not sick are you?" He asked, concerned.

"I had an appointment with Lisa."

"Oh?"

"I'm starting an internship on Monday. Pediatrics, maybe emergency medicine."

"Maddy that's great!" He hugged her in congratulations, then glanced at his watch, "Come on, I'll buy you lunch." They walked down to the cafeteria, and were soon sitting, eating. "So, did you tell your father?"

"Yeah, he was surprised, but I think he's happy for me. His team don't know about me, do they?" She asked, noticing Chase and Foreman walking into the cafeteria, obviously noticing her sitting with House's best friend.

"It's never come up." Wilson told her, House valued his privacy and didn't generally broadcast his personal life. Who would believe that the resident 'caustic guy' was actually a doting dad? "You've met them?"

"Stopped by his office to talk to him but he was busy."

"You know, I don't get it." Chase was telling Foreman, as they sat down. "How does a cranky old cripple like House, get someone like that?"

"I don't know." Foreman laughed, "We must be doing something wrong."

"Didn't expect House to share his toys." Chase answered, indicating Maddy and Wilson together. "You think he knows she's having lunch with his best friend?"

"Come on, Wilson's married."

"He's got previous." Chase retorted, referring to Wilson's second marriage.

Maddy and Wilson finished eating, and went to leave, walking by Chase and Foreman's table. "Oh, hey, you work with Dr House, don't you?" She addressed Chase and Foreman, she had seen them watching her and Wilson.

"Um, yeah." Chase smiled nervously. "Robert Chase." He held out his hand for Maddy to shake.

She shook his hand, "Maddy, I start an internship on Monday." She told him, "Look forward to seeing you around."

"Yeah." Chase grinned back. Foreman watched on, unsure of what to say. Wilson and Maddy continued their exit from the cafeteria.

"You didn't tell them who you were." Wilson observed, wondering why.

"They didn't ask." She told him, "I better go, stuff to sort out. I'll see you later James. Thanks for lunch."

"No problem, congratulations again." And she walked to her car to get things ready for Monday.


	17. Chapter 17

17

(Monday)

"So are you nervous?" House asked Maddy as they left for the hospital.

"A little, but I think it'll be mostly filling out paperwork for most of the morning, then following one of the seniors around like a little puppy for the rest of the day." She told him as she opened the car door.

"If you get bored you could always cut your medical teeth on my clinic hours." House suggested, fastening his seatbelt.

"No." She laughed, Wilson had already warned her about House's aversion to clinic.

"You want to meet me for lunch?" He asked, as they pulled into the car park.

"I'll need to see how busy I am." She answered, as they walked into the hospital, "I'll drop by your office when I'm free and see what's happening?"

"Sounds like a plan." House walked towards his office, while Maddy headed for Cuddy's.

She knocked on the door, "Come in," She heard Cuddy call, she walked in. "Maddy, hi. Sit down." They went through some paperwork and protocols, "Ok, so you will be working mostly with Dr Michaels for the next few weeks." Cuddy told her, "Come on, we'll go and meet him. I'll get you a lab coat and ID badge too."

Maddy walked up to pediatrics with Cuddy and met with Dr Michaels.

"Dr House, I presume." He greeted them, shaking Maddy's hand. "We have another Dr House here too."

"That's my father." Maddy explained.

"Oh. I didn't realise that he had a daughter."

"I don't think it's common knowledge."

"Ok, well, I'll leave you two to rounds." Cuddy told them, and headed back to their office.

"Ok, well first here, we have Jack. He's 6 months old, Down's patient, awaiting cardiac assessment." Michaels explained, as they came to the first cot in the ward. "He's a DCFS case."

"DCFS?" Maddy asked him.

"Department of Child and Family Services. His mother abandoned him with them when he was a week old. Couldn't cope with him." Michaels explained, "He's hard to place with a family because of his healthcare. Sad case."

"Poor little guy." He grinned up at her, making her eyes water, as she thought of her own mom. "Hey you." She ruffled his hair. "How you doing?" Her response was another grin, and a laugh. "This is normally an out patient assessment?" She asked Dr Michaels, not looking up from Jack. Michaels nodded.

They walked around the rest of the ward, Michaels explaining the cases that he had at the moment, asking Maddy's opinion on various aspects of care. They sat in his office at the end of the day. "You seem distracted." He observed, "Case get to you?"

"Jack."

"Ah." Dr Michaels smiled at her, it was obvious she was different from her father, who he knew by reputation only.

"My mom left me when I was 3 days old." She started, "My father raised me on his own. I got really sick with meningitis when I was Jack's age. But dad never left me. I could so easily have been alone like Jack."

Dr Michaels smiled at her. "You know, I think you're gonna be good at this."

"Do you think that it would be ok to go back and see Jack? Maybe give him his dinner." She asked, as she signed some paperwork. "Take him off of the ward. He isn't that sick."

"I'll just check with Dr Cuddy." He called, and cleared it with Cuddy. "Ok, on you go. The nursing staff will sort you out."

Maddy disappeared back into the ward, and returned a few moments later with her new friend and some baby food and a bottle, heading for the cafeteria. She settled him in a high chair at a table in the corner, and started to chat away to him, while spooning food into his mouth.

House meanwhile, was just walking into Cuddy's office. "Well?"

"Well?" She looked up at him puzzled.

"How did she do?"

"Come see for yourself." Cuddy stood up and they walked towards the cafeteria. "Look. She's connected with her first patient."

House sighed, when she saw Maddy engrossed in her new patient. "She cares too much."

"Caring isn't a bad quality in a doctor, House, you should try it sometime."

"I knew letting her spend time with Wilson was a bad idea." Maddy looked up at the cafeteria entrance, just as she was finishing feeding Jack. She scooped his out of his chair and walked over to Cuddy and House.

"Hey guys." She greeted them. "Meet Jack." On cue, Jack grinned.

"Maddy, you can't take patients home." House told her, jokingly.

"Today went well?" Cuddy asked her. Maddy nodded, then turned her attention back to House.

"His mom abandoned him when he was a week old." She told House, who sighed, "He needs someone to give him a break. I had you, he doesn't have anyone."

Cuddy looked up at Maddy and House, curious, she didn't know the history of Maddy's childhood. "Why don't you take him back to the ward?" She suggested, Maddy nodded and disappeared. "House, what happened to Maddy's mother?"

"She left when Maddy was 3 days old."

"Explains Maddy and Jack." She smiled, turning to leave. "I'll keep an eye on the situation."

"Thanks." House told her, although he had a feeling that Maddy was already in deep.


	18. Chapter 18

18

"So, how did Mady's first day go?" Wilson asked House as they sat in his office waiting on test results from House's patient.

"She took one of her patients to the cafeteria for dinner."

"That's nice." Wilson smiled, "She likes patients, always a good start."

"She's too attached already." House sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"Because she took a kid for food?" Wilson sat down in front of House's desk. "Yeah, that's too much." He shook his head, not seeing the problem.

"Not a kid, a baby. A sick abandoned one at that."

"So she cares, not a major problem."

"I think she identifies with him, given what happened when she was a baby. Not going to end well." House explained, looking up as Maddy walked in.

"Hey, still got work?" She asked House.

"Yeah, waiting on a biopsy. I'm sure Wilson can give you a ride home if you want."

"It's no problem," Wilson offered, "You can tell me all about your first day."

"Why don't we go for a coffee and I can tell you all about it." Maddy suggested, "Unless Julie needs you back."

Wilson sighed, "Julie doesn't need me back, let's have coffee."

House looked up at Wilson, curious. "She doesn't?"

"I really don't want to talk about this." Wilson answered, not wanting to admit his third marriage was failing. "Shall we?"

"Yeah." Wilson and Maddy left for the cafeteria. "Hi." Maddy recognised Robert Chase walking towards them.

"Oh, hi." Chase smiled in surprise. "How are you?"

"Good, yeah. Just going for a coffee with James. I'm guessing you're busy with the case."

"Guessed right." Chase glanced down at Maddy's ID card, and saw the surname House. House had been watching from his office. Was House married?

"Wombat! Won't tell you again." He called down towards them. "Paws off."

" Paws off?" Maddy called back at House, "We were just talking."

"I should really-" Chase stuttered, pointing towards the office.

"Yeah you should." House answered.

"That was uncalled for." Maddy angrily told him.

"Results?" House asked Chase ignoring Maddy.

"Negative." Chase answered, handing House a piece of paper.

"Ok, well, coffee?" Wilson asked.

"Yeah, if you're still here at 8, I'll ask James to drive me home."

"Sure, I'm sure I'll be finished by then."

Wilson and Maddy walked down to the cafeteria, and bought coffee. "So, your first day went well?" Wilson asked, sitting down.

"I enjoyed it." She told him, looking down at her coffee.

"But?" Wilson could read her like a book.

"I can't forget one of the kids." She explained, "Cardiac problems, Down's was abandoned when he was a week old."

"Ah, this is Jack?" Wilson asked, with a sad smile.

"How'd you know about him?"

"Your dad mentioned him." Maddy frowned at Wilson, "He's just concerned that you might be too attached."

"Because I give a damn?!" Maddy angrily replied, louder than she realised.

"Hey, hey. We just don't want you to get...hurt." Wilson assured her. "I think it's great that you care. Just be careful."

"I'm a big girl, James, I can look after myself." She told him, smiling. "So, Julie?"

"We're not really getting on too well." Wilson sighed, swirling his coffee in it's cup. "I don't know what's going on."

"Divorce number three?" Maddy asked.

"I should just avoid marriage all together. I don't want to be a triple divorcee before I'm 40."

"So you'll wait it out until your 40th birthday?" She asked with a laugh. "I'm sorry, that was mean."

Wilson had to laugh at the comment, he glanced at his watch, it was almost 8. "So you need a ride?"

"If you don't mind." They stood up and headed towards the exit and Wilson's car. They drove along, discussing the various songs that came on the radio, and soon arrived at House's apartment.

"You want to come in?" Maddy asked him, "I can put a lasagne in the oven for us."

Wilson thought for a moment, "Yeah, that'd be nice." Maddy was just opening the front door when Wilson's cell phone rang. "Hi, no, no I'm still at the hospital. Late surgery. Oh, come on Julie! Yeah, fine." He hung up the phone.

"Trouble in paradise?"

"The usual." Wilson sighed, pouring himself a glass of water.

"You lied."

"She was lying too. We're both pretending to care about each other."

"Isn't that the point where one of you should call it quits?" Maddy asked him, as she read the instructions on the lasagne packet.

"Probably." They sat in silence watching TV until the lasagne was ready. They were just about to start eating, when House appeared.

"Interrupting something?" He asked, eyeing Maddy and Wilson suspiciously.

"You could tell I was cooking all the way back at PPTH?" She asked him, pulling out another plate for him. "You interrupted me plating up food." She told him, sitting down to eat. "Julie was out so I was saving Wilson from an empty apartment and a TV dinner." She lied, looking at Wilson to back up her story.

"Yeah, apparently tonight is salsa dancing at the Carlton." Wilson added, taking a bite of his lasagne.

"Sounds fun." House muttered, wondering how long Wilson's marriage would last.


	19. Chapter 19

19

(Friday)

"So, did Julie enjoy salsa dancing?" House asked, as he walked into Wilson's office.

"I assume so." Wilson told him, signing some paperwork.

"You assume?"

Wilson looked up at him, frustrated. "We didn't discuss the class."

"Shame, might have fancied trying it myself." House answered. "Things not going well?"

"Not really, do you have a point, House?" House shook his head, and, for once took the hint and left his friend in peace, heading to the pediatric department. He wandered onto the ward, seeing Dr Michaels there. "Dr House Junior is where?" He asked him.

"Dr House Senior I presume." Dr Michaels answered, "She's scrubbing in for surgery, observing a heart op."

"This would be abandoned baby?" House asked, curious.

"If you mean Jack, yes." Dr Michaels led House towards his office, where they both sat down. "He decompensated over night, cardiac problems more pronounced than we first thought."

"Maddy realises this?"

"I think so, she wanted to be there." Dr Michaels explained. "I can page her if you need to see her."

"No, I'll find her later." And he walked away, leaving the other doctor to wonder how House could have produced such a well mannered daughter. "So, new symptoms?" House asked his team as he walked into the office.

"Stroke, something threw a clot." Chase told him.

"_**Something**_ isn't very informative." House sneered, pacing the small room.

They sat discussing the various symptoms and causes, until paged to deal with the latest problem. House, while his team dealt with the patient, sat in his office, watching his soap opera.

"House?" Cuddy had appeared at his door.

"Shhh, I'm about to find out who-"

"House." Cuddy repeated, "Where's Maddy?"

"Stopped keeping track of her every move when she grew up, sorry." He didn't look away from his soap.

"I'm being serious House."

"Last I heard she was in surgery."

"Patient didn't make it." Cuddy explained, "I just wanted to see that Maddy was ok, I know how close she was to him."

House sighed, "I've not seen her."

"Michaels told her to go home, but she just wanted a break, but no one's seen her."

"I'll try her cell."

"Ok, let me know if you find her." Cuddy instructed him, and walked back out. House sat for a moment, then grabbed his cane and walked out, meeting Wilson in the hall.

"Seen Maddy?" He asked Wilson, who frowned and shook his head. "Page me if you do."

"House, what-" Wilson started, turning to walk alongside House. "Everything ok?"

"The abandoned baby died on the table, Maddy was in the OR."

"Tried her cell?" Wilson asked, as they turned the corner to the cafeteria, House shook his head, pulling his cell phone from his pocket and trying.

"Voice mail." He answered, noticing Maddy in the corner of the cafeteria, placing her cell phone back onto the table, after avoiding her father's phonecall. He made his way over to her, leaving Wilson to watch from the entrance, and sat down on the seat in front of Maddy. "Cuddy's worried about you."

"Look, dad, now's not a good time to say 'I told you so', ok?" She didn't look up at him. "Lesson learned."

"I didn't say-"

"But you wanted to."

House sighed, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She finally met his eyes. "I really should get back. I've been here a while." She went to stand, House reached over, and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Why didn't you go home?"

"Didn't want to sit at home thinking about it. Patient's die everyday, I'll just have to get used to it." She succeeded in standing up, and moved to walk away from House.

"You know where I am." He told her, she nodded and walked towards the door.

"Maddy? How-" Wilson started, as she walked by him.

"I'm fine." She didn't stop for fear of her emotions betraying her.

Wilson walked over to where House still sat, deep in thought. "So?"

"She says she's fine." House told him.

"Is she?"Wilson asked, sitting in the seat that Maddy had just vacated. House merely shrugged his shoulders. "I hope she doesn't let this put her off medicine."

"It won't." House assured him.

(That night)

Maddy was watching TV, having been out for drinks earlier to take her mind off of her day at work, when the front door opened. Wilson was stood there, a holdall over his shoulder. "Hey, what are you doing here?" She asked him, frowning.

"Hey, your dad said you were out at Sharrie's." He was obviously surprised to see her there.

"Not any more." She pointed out, smiling, obviously a little drunk.

"Look, I can go if-" He turned to leave.

"Come in." She told him, waving him inside. "Wine, vodka or beer?"

"Umm, I-"

"What's with the holdall?" She asked him, unsteadily standing up.

"Julie and I, well, she's been having an affair, and we're over, I guess." Wilson explained, walking inside, dumping the bag at the side of the couch.

"So, no waiting it out til you're 40 then?" She asked, in all seriousness, Wilson just laughed lightly and shook his head.

"So, how much have you had to drink?" He asked her, noting an empty bottle of wine on the table.

"Not nearly enough." She walked through to the kitchen, reappearing with two full glasses of wine, handing one to Wilson.

"You'll be dead by 30 from liver disease if this is how you handle a bad day." Wilson observed, sitting down on the sofa. "This is your idea of being fine?"

"I've had a rotten day, lost my first patient, I think I'm allowed one night of forgetting."

"I remember losing my first patient." Wilson told her, "I went home and drafted my letter of resignation 30 times."

"Obviously you never resigned."

"I handed the letter to my boss, who ripped it up and told me not to be so stupid." Wilson remembered, "Next time, I still wrote the letter, I just didn't hand it in."

"So, next time I'll stop at one and a half bottles of wine, and 3 shots?" She asked him, slouching beside him.

"It gets easier, that's all."

"I need a new specialty, at least in the ER, they'll die before I get attached." She muttered, sipping her wine.

"That won't solve it." Wilson smiled, "Once you start caring, you never stop."

"I wish I was more like my dad."

"No you don't." Wilson told her, "Don't you ever change." He ruffled her hair, she leaned against him, letting her unshed tears from earlier fall, falling asleep in that position once she had worn herself out, crying.

Wilson wasn't sure how long he sat, holding her, until House let himself in. "Hey," House greeted his friend quietly, "She ok?"

Wilson smiled at her, sleeping peacefully, "She will be."


	20. Chapter 20

20

Maddy awoke the next morning to the sound of the television, she slowly sat up, squinted at the TV, then at the couch opposite her, which held Wilson, in his casual clothes, watching a documentary.

"Hey." She greeted him. "What time is it?"

"A little after 10, did I wake you?" He asked, concerned.

"No, no." She answered, "Where's dad?"

"Hospital, new case. How are you feeling?"

"I'm ok. New case on a Saturday?" Maddy asked, standing up and walking through to the kitchen, returning with a glass of orange juice.

"Yeah, Cuddy paged him."

"Oh, he'll be in such a good mood with that." She laughed, sitting back down. "What are you watching?"

"It's about penguins."

"Penguins?"

Wilson nodded, and laughed. "I'm not really watching it." He admitted.

"So, how long are you staying with us? Not that I'm wanting you out." She assured him, smiling.

"Not too long, hopefully." Wilson sighed, "I didn't quite know what to do when Julie..." Maddy nodded in understanding. "House said I was ok to crash on the couch for a while."

"He only wants you for your macadamia pancakes, you know that don't you?" She joked. "So, Julie's been having an affair?"

"Yeah, apparently she had no choice because I was never there, always too busy with my patients, or on-call. All my fault really."

"Saracasm, you spend too much time with dad." She told him, "The solution to the problem is obviously to date someone with just as hectic a schedule as yours. I'm free." She laughed.

"Is that an offer?" He was laughing too.

"See, knew I could make you smile. And I wouldn't ask you on a date the day after your marriage broke up."

"Oh well, I guess there's always tomorrow." He faked disappointment. "What are your plans for today?"

"Not a lot. Maybe retail therapy. You want to join me?"

"I really should go and collect more stuff from the apartment, but I don't think I can face it. Retail therapy you say?"

"You've never indulged?" She asked him, he smiled and shook his head. "Ok, well the plan is, buy lots, the more useless the better, pizza buffet, then going to see that new Scary Movie at the cinema."

"That sounds like a very good plan." Wilson agreed.

"Ok, well, I'll just shower and get dressed and we can head out, dad can call my cell if he wants to find us." She walked out, and proceeded to get ready for the trip, while Wilson busied himself, tidying the kitchen. They decided to walk into town, taking advantage of the dry weather, heading straight for the mall. "What do you think?" Maddy asked Wilson, holding up a pair of ripped jeans.

"Very rock chick."

"Ooh," she darted over to another rack of clothes, pulling out a vintage 'Rolling Stones' t-shirt. "I like this."

"Oh my, you really are just a minature female version of your dad, aren't you?"

She laughed, "Better bedside manner though. Ok, now we need to get you something."

Wilson raised his eyebrows, "You're giving me a fashion make over? I like my style."

"I didn't criticize your style, but the point of retail therapy, is the retail. Shouldn't you buy yourself something nice before Julie bleeds you dry." Maddy pointed out, Wilson just sighed, then purposefully strode over to a rack of shoes, picking up a pair of sneakers. "Nice." Maddy told him, nodding.

"Always wanted a pair of these."

"Good choice."

"And..." He headed over to another rack, this time DVDs, "And, Julie never liked me watching this, would always complain, so I'd TiVo it and try and watch it when she was out." He picked up a box set of 'The Outer Limits'.

"Well, we can watch the whole box set this weekend if you'd like." Maddy suggested, "I have a DVD player in my bedroom, Dad isn't a Sci-Fi geek like us."

"That sounds like a good weekend, box set marathon, comfortable sneakers, life doesn't get much better." Wilson mused, smiling, genuinely for the first time that day. They paid for their goods, Wilson insisting on buying Maddy's outfit as a thank you for cheering him up, then headed for pizza, and then the cinema.

"I haven't laughed that much in a while." Maddy's sides still hurt from laughing at the movie. "That was good."

"Thank you for today." Wilson told her as they walked back towards the apartment. "I'd have just been moping about, feeling sorry for myself otherwise."

"Instead you've spent a small fortune." Maddy pointed out, indicating the many bags they had acquired. "I'm glad you had a good time."

"You too." He smiled, "You know, I think we're both going to be ok." They walked up the stairs to the apartment, noting a light on. "House is back, case solved you think?"

"I don't know, my guess is that Chase, Foreman and Cameron are still at the hospital doing all the testing."

"Sounds about right for House."

Maddy opened the door to see House, sitting on the couch, watching TV. "Hey Dad."

"Hey, have you seen Wi-" He started, then stopped, seeing Wilson behind Maddy, they'd obviously spent the day together. "Ah, moving on quick these days, aren't you?"

"We were shopping, then we caught a movie." He told House, "Nothing more than that. How's your patient?"

"Sick." House answered, "Ducklings are on it."

"I see."

"Anyway, we were going to watch some DVDs," Maddy told House, "You wanna join us?" He held up the box set for House to see.

House grimaced, "No thanks, think I'll stick with my 'L word'."

"Ok then. Come on." She said to Wilson, who followed her towards her room, House watching suspiciously. "Remember, stethoscope on the door if you don't want disturbed." He called after them, while Maddy and Wilson just rolled their eyes at his comment. House sat watching his show, then glanced back at Maddy's room, curious. At some point, when he had been engrossed in his show, a stethoscope had appeared on her door handle.


	21. Chapter 21

21

House sat, staring at Maddy's bedroom door. He was sure that Maddy had put the stethoscope there just to annoy him, pay him back for reminding her of the stethoscope 'rule/joke', but something in the back of his mind, aroused his curiosity. He walked towards the door, and on hearing the sounds of the TV decided to call it a night and head to his bed, working on the assumption that the Sci-Fi marathon was still going.

When he woke in the morning, he noticed that the stethoscope was still there, and his curiosity grew. he slowly pushed the door open. Wilson lay on one side of Maddy's double bed, still fully clothed facing towards House, arm lazily draped over Maddy, snoring lightly, while Maddy lay, also asleep, facing House. He quietly switched off the TV and walked back out again. He was watching kids cartoons on TV when Wilson appeared behind him.

"Morning House." He yawned, as he sat down beside him on the sofa.

"Not get enough sleep?" House asked Wilson, as he yawned again, Wilson merely shrugged. "Saw the stethoscope, very funny. Whose idea was that?" House's eyes didn't move from the TV.

"Ah." Wilson answered, shifting uneasily in his seat.

"Morning boys." Maddy smiled, walking out of her bedroom. She yawned as she sat down on the opposite couch.

"Sleep well?" House asked her, watching her and Wilson suspiciously.

"Didn't get that much sleep." She answered him, focussing on the TV.

"Wha-" House started, fuming.

"I thought you gave us your blessing with the stethoscope thing..." She answered, Wilson looked down at the floor. "Oops." She didn't look as if she was joking.

"Wilson, you didn't."

"House, my wife left me two days ago, give me some credit."

"I'm tired because we watched TV til 4. Chill." Maddy told House, as she stood up and headed into the kitchen to put the kettle on. "Coffee?" She called out to House and Wilson.

"I'll help you." Wilson offered and followed her into the kitchen. "I think he's fallen for it." He told Maddy quietly, taking the milk from the refrigerator. "I'll take this out to him." He walked out with a coffee for both House and himself.

(Flashback)

2004

"So, are you going to meet up with Maddy after your conference, I'm sure she'd like to see you." House asked Wilson, as they sat in the cafeteria.

"Yeah, I called her last week to arrange it."

"I think you speak to her more often than I do." House commented, his daughter was an adult now and didn't need him checking up on her all the time.

"She's a friend, and she doesn't steal my food." He pointed out, as House helped himself to Wilson's potato chips. "I've got a lot of time for her."

"Well, while you're there, maybe you can check up on this Nathan guy she's been seeing, I don't like not being able to scope out potential son-in-law's."

"You want me to spy for you?" Wilson asked him, laughing. "I'm sure he's a nice guy."

"Yeah, well you'd describe Satan as a nice guy, who's just a little misguided." House clarified, glancing at his pager as it went off. "Ooh, new symptom, gotta go." And he stood up and left.

Two days later, Wilson was stood outside Maddy's dorm, knocking the door. "Maddy? It's James."

He heard sniffing, "Go away."

"Maddy? I've come all the way from New Jersey, I'm not going away. What's wrong?"

"No, you came all the way from the other end of campus, you came to Baltimore for the conference."

"Ok, you got me. Open the door. I'm starving and I thought we were going to dinner."

The door slowly opened, and a tear stained Maddy opened it. "Come in."

He followed her inside, "What's wrong? Have you and Nathan had a fight?"

"Fight? You could say that."

"Maddy?"

"Nathan and I, we're finished." She told him, sitting down on her bed.

"Oh." Wilson reached over to hug Maddy, but she winced when he touched her shoulder. He gently pulled her jumper over to see her shoulder, a large bruise obvious. "He did this?" Wilson was silently furious. Maddy was silent, then just nodded.

"Maddy? We need to talk." A voice called at the door, still angry, possibly drunk."Maddy!"

"Come on, I'm taking you out of here." He grabbed a backpack and started putting some of Maddy's clothes into it. "You can come back to my hotel, ok?"

"Thanks James."

Wilson finished packing clothes, then opened the door, "I think you should go, and not bother her again." Wilson warned the guy who had been shouting.

"Oh yeah?"

"Don't push it. Come on Maddy." Maddy followed him out of the room. They caught a cab back to his hotel, and settled on his bed. "Have you taken pain killers?" Wilson asked her, she shook her head. "Ok, stay here, I'll go and get some." He headed out to a local pharmacy, toying with the idea of calling House, but deciding against it. He walked back to his room. "Here, take these." He handed Maddy two pills, and a glass of water.

"Thanks."

"Does he make a habit of doing that to you?"

"No, that was the first and the last. He just lost control. " She told him, "Don't tell Dad, he'll just freak and demand I go home."

"Ok, I won't tell him." Wilson assured her, gently pulling her into a hug. "Room service for dinner?"

"I don't know, I-"

"PPTH is paying."

"Ok then, maybe just a salad."

"One salad coming up." He grabbed the phone, ordering a salad, some water, steak and fries for himself.

"You can do so much better than that loser." Wilson told her, trying to cheer her up.

"News flash, not every guy is as caring as you." She stared at the duvet. "It's easy to be so positive when you're happily married."

"Maddy..." He sighed, gently turning her head so that he could look her straight in the eye. "You don't need to put up with guys like that." She nodded slightly. "Why don't I order a bottle of wine with dinner? Help you relax."

"Sure." Wilson called and added a Pinot Grigio to his order. "Would you mind if I showered before dinner, see if it eases my shoulder?" Wilson shook his head, and switched on the TV.

A short while later, Maddy reappeared towel drying her hair, just in time for dinner. "Feel better?" She nodded, joining Wilson at the small table for dinner.

"I'm sorry about dinner."

"That's ok, room service is not too shabby. Try some." He pointed to the steak, Maddy speared a bit with her fork, nodding in agreement that it was nice. "Wine?" She nodded again, and Wilson filled a glass for each of them. "So, you have classes tomorrow?"

"Kacey, my room mate, is going to cover for me." She explained, "It's only lectures tomorrow."

"And Nathan?"

"I'll just avoid him, he'll get the message."

"You promise me you won't go back to him." Wilson stopped eating, and waited for her response. "Maddy?" He sighed, "Promise?"

"Yes James I promise, ok?" They finished eating and sat on the bed watching TV. "Thanks for everything tonight."

"Your welcome, I just wish you hadn't gone through any of that."

"I'm not that 11 year old needing a cast anymore, I'm an adult, I made a bad choice, you don't need to try and fix me."

"I'm not trying to fix you, I just want you to realise that you deserve better." He put his arm around her, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. Maddy, turned to face him, planting a kiss on his lips.

"I know." She smiled, and snuggled down under the duvet.

(Present Day)

"So, you were just having a joke with the stethoscope then?" House confirmed to Wilson as they sipped their coffee.

"What do you think?" Wilson rolled his eyes, certain that if House really did think something had gone on, he would soon be looking for somewhere else to live.


	22. Chapter 22

22

(Later that night)

"Well, guys, I'm off to bed, see you in the morning."

"Night Maddy." House answered, while Wilson called the same from the kitchen.

"So, you have a busy day tomorrow?" House asked Wilson as they watched Monster Truck Rally.

"Meeting with my divorce attorney at 11."

"Oh sounds fun. How will you afford 3 alimony payments?" House asked him, smirking.

"Might take on a second job." Wilson sighed, joking. "Cuddy made me a department head and board member just so I could afford to pay them." They watched TV for a while longer.

"Obviously made me a department head because she wants me." House commented,as they watched TV for a while longer. "Think I'll take a leaf out of Maddy's book and have an early night. I can TiVo this."

"Night House."

"Night Wilson."

Wilson settled himself on the couch, intent on going to sleep, when he heard a door opening. "Hey, dad in bed?" It was Maddy, she tip toed over to him.

"Yeah, bout a half hour ago." Wilson told her, moving over to make room for her beside him on the couch.

"I have an idea." She whispered.

"Idea?" Wilson asked, curious.

"This couch can't be comfortable, why don't you sleep in my bed, get up before House, he'll think that you've been here all night. He sleeps like the dead." Wilson went to protest. "Two adults can sleep in the same bed without sleeping together. We've proven that before." She reminded him.

"I don't think I should. Given what almost happened last night." Wilson sighed, Maddy smiled and stood up.

"Ok, offer's open if you change your mind." She told him as she walked away, Wilson watching her as she went, "Oh, just to clarify, I was offering half a mattress, nothing else." She called quietly, Wilson laughed in response.

"Night Mads." He settled himself on the couch once more, trying various positions, to try and fall asleep, eventually padding towards Maddy's bedroom. She was sleeping, he stood and watched for a moment, debating whether or not to join her, or face the couch again. He gently crawled on top of the bed, and lay down.

"It's safe to actually share the duvet too." Maddy joked, sleepily. "Not as if I'm naked or anything, at least two layers of clothing between us. Unless you're naked that is."

"I'm not." Wilson told her not moving.

"Well?" Maddy tugged at the duvet, trying to pull it out from under him, but failing. "I can control myself if you can." She offered, turning to face him.

"Promise?" Wilson asked her, finally facing her. She nodded, and turned away from him again.

"Dad gets up at 730, so I'd be back on the couch by 7 at the latest, unless you want all hell to break loose." She told him, "And I'm on at 9, so we can drive in together if you want."

"Sounds like a plan." Wilson agreed, turning to go to sleep too.

2am

House awoke, with a sharp pain in his leg, reaching for his vicodin from his bedside table, but realised it was empty. "Dammit." He sighed, and sat up, remembering that his refill was in the kitchen. Stiffly standing up, he staggered cane-less towards the kitchen, trying to avoid turning on the light for fear of waking Wilson, who, by the silence in the lounge, House assumed, was asleep. After almost tripping over a random shoe, he turned on the light. "Sorry Jimmy." He said, to the empty couch, on his way to the kitchen. He dry swallowed two pills, then hobbled back out, glancing at the pile of blankets on the couch. More specifically, the empty pile of blankets. "Wilson?" He pulled back the blanket, no Wilson. He thought of where he could be. Paged? No his jacket was still there, and his shoes. Bathroom? No, House would have noticed the light on. He wasn't in the kitchen. There was one room left, Maddy's. Thinking back to the 'prank' with the stethoscope, House felt a rage build. He stormed as fast as he could towards Maddy's room, and flung open the door.

"Dad? What?" Maddy stuttered, woken from her sleep. She looked at Wilson, also freshly awake, and House's angry expression.

"House, it's not what it looks like-"

"So, you 're not lying in my _**daughter'**_s bed _**half-naked?**_" House sneered, walking in and slamming the door, making Maddy jump.

"Dad, it's not what it looks like."

"Be quiet Madeleine." Uh-oh, he called her Madeleine, he was serious. "I invite you into my home when you need somewhere to stay, and this," He pointed to Maddy, sitting up in the bed, tears welling, "is how you repay me."

"House, we didn't-"

"Not even last night, when you put the stethoscope on the door?!" House was still fuming, now pacing, in spite of his pain. "How could you?"

"Would you listen? We didn't do anything wrong!" Maddy exclaimed.

"She's telling the truth, House, calm down." Wilson remained calm, and put his arm around a shaken Maddy. "Nothing happened. Surely, you've slept in the same bed as someone, and it's been totally innocent." Wilson tried to reason with his friend.

"Not unless she's been a hooker or a relationship. Hardly think cousin Jen counts because I was 5." House thought for a moment, "Is this a relationship?!"

"House-"

"Or are you implying she's a hooker, believe me, I'd prefer that at this moment in time."

"It's not a relationship Dad, I'm not a hooker, it's nothing." Maddy met her father's eyes, seeing hurt and betrayal.

"Get back to the lounge." House instructed Wilson, "I need to speak to my daughter alone."

Wilson glanced at Maddy, "You ok?" She nodded, and he walked out.

"Well?" House asked Maddy, still standing, his pain all but forgotten. "Did you have-sleep with-" He couldn't finish the sentence.

"Not tonight, and not last night, no."She told him, truthfully.

"Friday night?" House asked, knowing that Friday was still largely unaccounted for. Maddy shook her head. "This is nothing?"

"Nothing." She quietly confirmed to him, hoping he would drop the subject.

"Fine, from now on, he stays on the couch, or he'll be coming into contact with a cane-shaped object and looking for somewhere else to stay." House resolved, "I'll go and give him the good news." He opened the door to walk out, looking back at Maddy, "You wouldn't lie to me?"

"Dad, I'm 22, capable of making my own decisions about who I do and don't have a relationship with." She reminded him, "But no, I haven't lied to you." House nodded slightly and walked back out with the intention of re establishing some ground rules with Wilson.


	23. Chapter 23

23

House walked back into the lounge, where Wilson was pacing up and down, obviously worried about the situation. He stopped pacing as House entered the room.

"House, is Maddy ok?"

"Sit down, Wilson." Wilson stood, hands on his hips, refusing. "Maddy's fine." On hearing this, Wilson sat down on the couch. "I accept that nothing happened this weekend." House thought back to Maddy's comment, naming specific nights when she hadn't slept with Wilson.

"Nothing." Wilson confirmed, not admitting how close things had been the previous night.

"I know that you are close to Maddy, I know she confides in you, but thoughts of anything else, stop here." He told Wilson.

"Of course, House, I wouldn't-"

"Stops here." House repeated, walking back out, leaving Wilson with his thoughts. He toyed with the idea of checking on Maddy, but reasoned that it would only serve to annoy House. Their friendship, and also his friendship with Maddy, was worth too much to him to be thrown away over a few seemingly meaningless actions. Wilson curled himself up on the couch, and tried his best to sleep, waking the next morning, on hearing Maddy padding about in the kitchen.

"Morning James." She greeted him, looking as if she hadn't slept much better than him. "I'm so sorry about last night, I should never have-"

"It's ok. Everything's fine." He assured her, pouring himself a coffee. "I spoke with House, and we've cleared things up."

"Good, good." She nodded, "Let's forget anything ever happened."

"I think that's all we can do." He sighed, "Maybe I should find somewhere else to stay."

"No, don't do that." Maddy told him, "This is all fine. We can handle this, it's not like we were gonna get married or anything is it?" She laughed, walking back out. "I'm going to shower and head into work."

"Maddy?" House asked, as he walked into the lounge, where Wilson was settled, eating a bowl of cereal.

"Shower." Wilson answered.

"She in a strop?" Wilson shrugged, "You're in a strop?"

"I'm fine House, now you're being paranoid." Wilson told him, walking into the kitchen with his bowl.

" Good morning, sunshine of my life." House turned around hearing Maddy vacate the bathroom.

"Morning dad." She replied, walking into her bedroom to get ready, House walked over to the bedroom door.

"You ok?" He asked, through the door.

"I'm fine." She told him, "I'm going to head in early, paperwork." She appeared at the door, hair held up in a clip, still damp from the shower. "I'll see you both tonight." She breezed out of the door before Wilson or House could answer her.

House sighed as she walked out, "Oh boy."

"I need to get ready, excuse me." Wilson answered, heading to shower. House busied himself, making coffee, while Wilson got changed.

"Car share?" House asked, when Wilson reappeared. "Makes sense."

"Yeah," Wilson smiled slightly, "I have a patient at 930, so hurry up."

"Yes sir." House answered, adding a mock salute for effect.

Meanwhile, Maddy wandered into PPTH and headed to the cafeteria, for a coffee. She sat, browsing through a newspaper, waiting for her shift to start. "Early start?" Chase was stood in front of her, coffee in his hand.

"Oh hi." She smiled, "Yeah, something like that. Sit down if you want."

"Heard about your patient on Friday, you ok?" He asked, sitting down.

"You heard?" Maddy questioned him, frowning.

"Overheard Wilson and House."

"Let me guess, dad was saying 'I told you so'."She guessed, closing over her newspaper.

"Dad?" Chase couldn't hide his shock, "House is your father?" It made sense now.

"I don't think he goes out of his way to tell people. Who did you think I was?!"

"Well," Chase was embarrassed, "He said that you were his so, I kinda assumed..."

Maddy couldn't contain her laughter, "You thought he was my boyfriend?! Uh-uh, this House is young, free and single. As opposed to dad who is old, miserable and cranky."

"I know which one I'd prefer to spend the day with." Chase smiled, "And when I saw the name House, I thought you were married to him."

"You think someone would have him?" She raised her eyebrows, questioning.

"That's what confused me, couldn't figure out how he bagged someone like you."

"Someone like me?"

"Yeah." Chase glanced down at Maddy's newspaper, "Ah, cool, Brown Cats are playing at the Odeon in a few weeks."

"Brown cats?" Maddy asked, "Sounds familiar."

"They're a great band. I'll need to see about getting tickets." He commented, standing up, "Nearly 9, I'd better go."

"Me too, actually." Maddy told him, standing up too. "This was nice." Chase smiled at nodded in agreement. "Have a good day, Robert."

"You too." And they went their separate ways, at the cafeteria door. Chase walked into the office that he shared with Cameron and Foreman. "You'll never guess what I just found out."

"Aliens do exist?" Foreman asked, not looking up from his case file.

"Better than that." Chase sat down, "You remember Maddy?"

"Vaguely."

"She's House's daughter, not his girlfriend. We just had coffee together." Chase grinned.

"He has a daughter, wow. Didn't think he was a daddy type." Cameron said, obviously shocked at this new aspect of her boss's character.

"God only knows what his offspring would be like. He's hardly Mr Sunshine." Foreman answered, "Wonder what her mom's like? How long she put up with him."

"He can't be that bad." Cameron offered.

"Who can't be that bad?" House had walked in,catching the end of the conversation.

"I never realised you had a daughter." Cameron told him, smiling.

"You never asked." House stated simply. "Shall we focus on our patient and not my personal life, please?"

Foreman read out the symptoms, and a discussion followed regarding possible causes, "OK, go forth and check out his colon." House instructed them. "And wombat," Chase turned around, "Patient is 34, so there's no need for you to be on pediatrics."

"Not on your time, anyway." Chase muttered under his breath.


	24. Chapter 24

24

"Morning Dr House." Dr Michaels greeted Maddy as she walked into pediatrics, "How are we today?"

"I'm fine. Bring on the patients." She smiled at him, fastening her ID badge to her white coat.

"Ok." He nodded, walking alongside Maddy, "I'm glad you came back, was worried we'd lost you to the ER."

"If I ran out every time I lost a patient, I'd run out of specialties pretty soon." Maddy reasoned.

"Very true, unfortunately." Michaels answered as they started rounds for the day. "Let's get started."

Meanwhile, Foreman and Chase were performing a colonoscopy on House's latest patient. "So, you and House Junior had coffee this morning, pre-arranged or were you accidentally hitting on House's daughter?" Foreman asked.

"Well, before this morning, I thought she was his wife, and I just happened to bump into her in the cafeteria, she invited me to join her and we chatted."

"So, she approached you?"

"No, I approached her, I knew she had a tough day on Friday and wanted to see she was ok, then we chatted." Chase clarified, watching the monitor, frowning. "House has already tried to warn me off."

"Tried?"

"Yeah tried."

"Meaning that it didn't work?" Foreman asked, "You don't think House is pissy enough with you, you have to aggravate him further."

"My being alive aggravates him, what do I have to lose?" Chase muttered.

"You know what? Go for it. The more he's on you, the more chance there is that he'll leave me alone."

"Thanks." Chase answered sarcastically, "Of course, he could just be in a generally worse mood. Colon's clean."

As lunchtime approached, Wilson sat in his office, reading a journal on a new scanning technique, useful in oncology, when House appeared at his office.

"Lunch?" House asked, glancing at his watch.

"Umm." Wilson hesistated, still feeling awkward at the weekends events.

"Oh for God's sake, are you going to be in a mood forever because I denied you-"

"No, House." Wilson answered, frustrated, "I told you already there was nothing going on, you've merely denied yourself your daily dose of paranoia."

"Well, looks like it's Chase I have to watch out for these days."

"Chase?"

"Apparently they got cosy this morning in the cafeteria over coffee." House told him, exaggerating deliberately to see Wilson's reaction. "Think I should warn Foreman he could be next?"

"Good luck to Chase, having to contend with you as a boss and potential father-in-law."

"Boss and father-in-law. Never gonna happen. He screws with her, he's fired."

"House, you can't fire someone for liking or dating your daughter." Wilson reasoned, standing up.

"As long as he works for me, I can." House and Wilson walked to the cafeteria, and as usual Wilson paid for lunch for both. "Ah, my protege approaches." House announced noticing Maddy entering the room, grabbing a juice and pack of sandwiches and paying for them. She glanced over at their table, to see House waving her over.

"Hi, I'm just grabbing a quick bite." She explained, not sitting down.

"A little birdie told me that you were having coffee this morning with one of my underlings."

"Not a crime."She answered.

"Do you seriously pick your potential mates from a list of people you know I'll hate?" House asked her.

"Hmmm?" Maddy asked, confused. "Potential mates?"

"Drop it House." Wilson sighed.

"No, James. Let's just get this all out in the open." Maddy started, "I choose who I want to see based on whether or not I like them. Robert seems like a nice guy. My life my choice."

"I'm sure he'll still be as attractive unemployed." House sneered.

"Grow up dad." Maddy told him, walking away.

Wilson and House finished lunch, then went their separate ways, Wilson citing clinic duty as an excuse to leave.

"Hi, I'm looking for Dr House, I think she's on with Dr Michaels." He told the nurse on duty, looking around to make sure House hadn't seen him.

"Oh, I think she's in the office, go through."

"Thank you." Wilson answered, heading through to Dr Michaels office. He knocked on the door, and on being invited walked in.

"James, hi." Maddy greeted him, "Dr Michaels is still out at lunch, sit down."

"Thanks." Wilson sat down, "So, you and Chase?"

"There is no me and Chase." Maddy explained, "Just two people sitting at the same table having coffee."

"Your dad doesn't think so."

"Well, up until this morning dad thought you and I were sleeping together." She pointed out.

"He was right though, wasn't he? Just the wrong time frame." Wilson looked Maddy in the eye.

"Look, James, why are you here?" Maddy asked him, standing up to look out of the window. "Here to say 'Forget House, don't pick Chase pick me'. Don't you think that's a bit premature over a cup of damn coffee."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come, I just, I don't know." Wilson admitted, seeking Maddy out had been a knee jerk reaction.

"Look, we both agreed that we wouldn't do have an aversion to being without a female, I get that. But that's no basis for a relationship between us, ok?" She turned to face him, "I have patients to see." She told him, and waited for him to leave, he didn't.

"Maddy, I-"

"Just don't. We don't have anything ok? It would never work."

"Ok, I understand." Wilson conceded, standing up and leaving. Maddy waited until he was gone, then regained her composure, and went back to work.


	25. Chapter 25

25

(A Week Later)

A week had passed since Chase had discovered Maddy's true relationship with House, despite numerous warnings and comments from House, he was still very much interested in her.

"Foreman, can you cover for me?"He asked his colleague one day, "I need to go and see someone." Foreman nodded, still studying the case file that House had left on desk.

"No antipodean company today?" House questioned, walking into the room and seeing only Cameron and Foreman. "Where is our friendly neighbourhood koala?"

"Clinic follow up from last week." Foreman didn't look up from his file, Cameron stayed silent, not wanting to lie to her boss.

"We'll start without him, not that he's any use anyway." House answered, "Symptoms, hit me with it homey." He told Foreman, who proceeded to rhyme off the various symptoms. Meanwhile Chase was strolling purposefully up to pediatrics.

"Hey Maddy." He greeted her smiling, "How are things?"

"Good, thanks. You?"

"Can't complain." He replied, "Anyway, the main reason I wanted to see you was..." He put his hand in his pocket and produced two tickets to the forthcoming Brown Cats concert. "Care to join me on Friday?"

Maddy grinned, "As in a date?"

Chase blushed slightly, "If you want, yeah."

"Do **you **want?" Chase nodded, "Ok, then, I'd like that."

"Show starts at 9, maybe we could go for dinner first?" He asked, hopefully.

"Dinner and a concert?" She raised her eyebrows, "You sure know how to treat a girl."

"Maybe we could discuss arrangements over lunch?" He was grinning now, he had read the situation correctly.

"Sure, you know where to find me." She smiled at him, as Dr Michaels approached, "I gotta..." She indicated the ward where her patients were waiting. "Page me, 6783."

"Will do, I better get back, House doesn't know I'm here." He told her, as he turned to leave.

"Robert!" He turned around, "Don't worry about dad, he's harmless really."

"He's constantly armed with a cane, and he signs my pay check." Chase reminded her.

"I'll handle him." And with that, Chase returned to the team.

"Decided to join us?" House sneered as Chase walked into the conference room.

"Well, you only have us to make your ideas sound good, I'm sure you didn't miss my input."

"But I missed mocking you." House answered, "I've had to mock Cameron twice as much to make up for it, you should apologise to her." Chase rolled his eyes.

"I'm here now. Mock away."

"See, now you've ruined it, I like to do it most when you are under the illusion of being right. MRI, go." He addressed his team. "Chase." Chase turned, "How are things on pediatrics these days, still got that hot blonde nurse?"

"Wouldn't know," Chase told him, "Wasn't up there checking out the nurse." Chase walked away before House could comment further.

House intrigued by Chase's unwillingness to hide the fact that he'd been to see Maddy decided while his team were busy to visit her. "Fruit of my loins, how are you?" He called, seeing her at the far end of the hall.

"You know, I answer to a variety of names, Madeleine, Maddy, Dr House, Dr House Junior...there's no need to call _**that.**_" Maddy called back at him, laughing.

"You forgot to add Mrs Chase to the list."

"You know something I don't?" She asked, playing dumb. "Oh, by Mrs Chase you're referring to Robert and I going to the concert on Friday?"

"Concert?" House asked, he hadn't quite expected that.

"We're going to see Brown Cats Friday, well that and dinner." Maddy explained, "I wouldn't wait up."

"How's he gonna pay for concert tickets and dinner on no pay?" House asked in mock shock.

"Funny, dad. Really. His job has nothing to do with us going to a concert." Maddy glanced down at her pager as it went off. "Excuse me, I have a lunch date."

"With him?!"

"No Wilson actually." Maddy joked, keeping her face straight.

"Wilson?" House questioned.

"Look, you need to get used to the fact that I'm not going to stay single just to reinforce your view of me as your little girl."

"I'm not asking you to stay single-"

"Of course you're not." She answered, sarcastically, "I need to go."

"Yeah. Run along to the little wombat." House muttered, as Maddy turned and headed for the front door.

"Hey," Chase greeted Maddy, "I was thinking we could eat out."

"Sure, less chance of being disturbed." Maddy agreed, noting Wilson watching from the upper floor, House stood beside him, telling him something. "Come on."

"So," Wilson started, as he ate his lunch in House's office, "they're having lunch together, it's nothing."

"My definition of nothing or yours?"

Wilson sighed, House was obviously still angry about him and Maddy. "All I'm saying is it's lunch, not sex, calm down."

"Which would be your definition of nothing." House dryly noted. "I don't like it."

"Maddy did have a point when she said that she wasn't going to stay single forever." Wilson replied, taking a bite of his sandwich, "She's what 22, he's 27-"

"You were married and divorced by her age." House pointed out.

"Which would indicate that she has better sense in relationships than me. All you can do is, I don't know, be happy for her, Chase is a nice guy, she could do a lot worse, believe me." Wilson thought back to the night in his hotel room after his conference, "Be there for her if it doesn't work. Forget that he's with her when he's at work, and forget your his boss when they're together."

"Harder than it sounds." House muttered.

"You're gonna need to try or else you'll lose her." Wilson warned.


	26. Chapter 26

26

(Friday Night)

"Aiming for pneumonia tonight?" House questioned Maddy, seeing her skimpy top and low rise jeans that she was wearing for her date with Chase. "You do know that we're not in the Bahamas?"

"Yes, I'm aware of that fact, and I'm sure Chase will appreciate my outfit." Maddy answered him, brushing her hair and applying her make up. "Anyway, I'm going to be late, like I said, don't wait up. Hey James." Wilson had arrived while Maddy was putting her jacket on. "Bye James."

"You need a ride? It's pouring out there." Wilson offered, holding up his car keys.

"Sure, bye dad." She called, closing the door behind her.

"So, dinner and a concert?" Wilson asked, as he drove her to the restaurant.

"Yeah, should be a fun night." Maddy commented, as they turned into the car park. "Thanks for the ride." She went to undo her safety belt, Wilson reached out to stop her. "James, what-"

"Are you doing this to make me jealous? Or do you seriously like Chase?"

"What?!" Maddy whispered. Wilson didn't reply. "Of course I'm not doing this to...god. I can't believe this."

"It's a simple question, Maddy."

"You and I, it was just... We both needed someone, at that point in time, nothing else." She told him calmly. "You need to forget it."

"Maddy, wait."

"No." She pulled her hand off of him and opened the car door, coming face to face with Chase, who had seen them approach. "Hey." she smiled, greeting him with a kiss on the cheek, while Wilson sat, trying not to appear bothered by the public display of affection.

"Hey yourself." Chase grinned, "Wilson?"

"Hi Chase. I just gave Maddy a ride, what with the weather and all." He explained, "Have a nice time kids."

"We will." Chase assured him, while Maddy just smiled, hiding her anger at Wilson's conversation. "So, dinner?" Maddy nodded, and they headed inside. "It was nice of Wilson to give you a ride. How a nice guy like that is friends with your dad baffles me." Chase commented, as they both browsed the menu.

"Yeah." Maddy answered, "St Jimmy."

"Am I missing something?" Chase asked, confused.

"Dad's not as bad as everyone thinks, and well, Wilson isn't quite the saint." She answered, "But let's not talk about them, tonight is our time." They ordered their food then headed to the concert. "Wow, these guys rock!" Maddy yelled to Chase, dancing along to the music.

"Yeah, been into them for the past 3 years." Chase yelled back, struggling to be heard over the music. "You want to head to the bar area?" Maddy nodded and they fought their way through. "Shooter? Tequila?"

"Dr Chase, are you trying to get me drunk?" Maddy laughed, while Chase attempted to look innocent. "Go for it."

Chase ordered the drinks, plus a beer for each of them. "Drink up!"

"You know, that was the best night out I've had in a while." Maddy told Chase, as they left the concert.

"Good, I'm glad you had fun, but it's only 1130, the night is young." Maddy smiled and raised her eyebrows. "Do you want to go on to a club, or back to mines maybe?"

"How about a bit of both?" Maddy suggested, "Club, then if we're both still standing, yours."

"I think that sounds like a plan." Chase agreed, as they headed for a nearby night club.

Meanwhile, back at House's apartment, Wilson glanced at the wall clock. "Jimmy, being the anxious father is my job." House reminded him, without looking at him.

"Huh?"

"You've checked the time five times in the past half hour, she's out with Chase, not Jack the Ripper."

"You're right, beer?" House nodded, as Wilson went to collect one for each of them from the refrigerator.

At the Club

"So," Chase started, "It's 3am, club's closing, and we're both still standing."

"You are correct, no wonder you're a doctor."

"Back to mines or will daddy be waiting up for you?"

"He can wait all he wants, I'm not daddy's little girl." She told him, "Back to yours."

"You're not here just to piss House off are you?" Chase stopped walking, and turned to face Maddy.

"No."

"Sure?" He asked. Maddy sighed, thought for a moment, then pulled Chase into a passionate kiss, "Ok, that's definitely a no,or you really really want to piss him off."

"It's a no." Maddy confirmed, "Let's go." They caught a cab back to Chase's apartment. "I don't normally go back to someone's on a first date." Maddy told Chase, between kisses on his sofa.

"You want to leave?" Maddy shook her head, "Good, because I don't want you to." He glanced towards his bedroom door, "Care to relocate?"


	27. Chapter 27

27

(Next morning)

"Morning Jimmy." House yawned, noting Wilson awake, and watching TV quietly. "Any sign of my daughter?"

"Morning House." Wilson answered, "And no, she didn't come home."

"Hmm, well, she did say not to wait up." House commented, walking into the kitchen.

"It doesn't bother you that she spent the night with Chase?" Wilson asked, following House into the kitchen.

"Not as much as it bothers you apparently."

"I'm not bothered, just don't want her rushing things." Wilson lied, sitting at the table with the coffee House had handed him.

"Yeah." House answered, joining him at the table. "Of course you're not jealous." Wilson just rolled his eyes at the comment.

Maddy woke up, and looked around the unfamiliar surroundings, thanking God that she didn't suffer from severe hangovers. She was in a bed, more to the point, not her own, and an empty one. Sighing she sat up, debating whether or not to investigate Chase's whereabouts, when the bedroom door opened, revealing a tired looking Chase.

"Morning." He grinned, "Brought you a coffee."

"Hi." She smiled back at him, "Thanks." She took the coffee that he offered. "What time is it?"

"A little after 9." He answered, sitting down beside her on the bed, sipping his own coffee. "Enjoy yourself last night?"

"What do you think?" She smirked.

"I'd say that you enjoyed last night as much as I did." He smiled, leaning over to kiss her again.

"I guess it's too late to sneak home and pretend I didn't stay out all night?" Maddy laughed, as her cell phone started ringing. She reached over and picked it up, the display read 'home'.

"House?" Chase asked, grimacing.

"Or Wilson." She showed him the phone, then answered it. "Hello?"

"Oh, you're alive then?" House's voice, "See I'm at home, and I wanted to speak to my daughter, but she didn't come home..."

"If she were 10, I'd tell you to contact the police department, but if she's say, 22, I'd say she'd be home when she wants to come home."

"How's Chase?" House enquired, trying to verify where Maddy was.

"He's right here. You want to say hi?" Maddy joked, while Chase frantically shook his head.

"No, no, just tell him, I'll see him on Monday." House told Maddy, then hung up.

"She's still with Chase." House told Wilson.

"Doesn't mean anything happened House." Wilson didn't look up from his paper.

"You keep thinking like that." House told him, sarcastically.

"So, was he pissed?" Chase asked Maddy, as she hung up the phone. "Am I fired?"

"He wasn't angry," Maddy told him, nonchalantly, "He said he'll see you on Monday."

"Great." Chase mumbled, covering his head with the duvet. "Roll on Monday."

"He'll get over it."

"House doesn't get over anything." Chase answered, "Did you not hear about what he did to the guy who got him thrown out of Johns for cheating? He waited 20 years, then destroyed the man's life's work in one day."

"Yeah." Maddy replied, apparently in agreement, "The guys research was totally flawed though, dad did him a favour really. He's just got an unorthodox way of doing things."

"Unorthodox?" Chase raised him eyebrows, "That's putting it mildly, he verges on unhinged."

"Gee, I hope that's not genetic."

"Funny Maddy, really." Chase was serious. "He's already incredibly..." Chase searched for a word to describe House's character.

"Cranky, miserable, bossy, caustic." Maddy suggested, "But he's also my dad Chase. He raised me on his own, he's bound to be protective, like I said he'll get over it." Chase looked up hopefully, House couldn't be as nasty as everyone thought if he had Maddy defending him.

"I hope so. Because I'd like to make this a more permanent arrangement. I can take House's abuse if it means I get you."

"You do." She smiled, "Don't worry about Monday. I have to face him today. Why don't you come back home with me, I can get changed and we can spend today together."

"I don't know." Chase was unsure, "I'd like to survive the weekend."

Maddy laughed, "You will." Chase still looked worried, then agreed to go.

"So, House, raised you on his own?" Chase asked, towel drying his hair,after his shower, while Maddy flicked through various TV stations.

"Yeah."

"No mum?"

"She abandoned dad and I when I was 3 days old." She didn't look away from the TV, having already told the story numerous times over the past few years. "Just left us."

"What happened?" He started rummaging through his closet for clothes. "Did she and House have a fight?"

"Nope, I cried. She freaked. She left."

"Surely she must've known that babies cry." Chase reasoned, sarcastically. "Was she depressed? What happened to her? Did you ever see her again?"

"I don't know and I don't really care." Maddy answered, showing little emotion. "She didn't care about me, why should I care what happened to her?"

"She's your mother Maddy, aren't you curious?"

"She came back on my first birthday, just gotten engaged, wanted custody, dad told her he wouldn't give me up."

"Oh."

"That was the last we heard of her, I wasn't good enough to fight for."

"I'm sure it wasn't that-"

"Would you walk away from your child and not fight for them?" Chase shook his head, he couldn't imagine it. "Say what you want about my father, but he was willing to fight for me, I'll never forget that." Chase nodded slowly, after just one night with Maddy, he had to admit, he respected his boss a lot more.


	28. Chapter 28

28

"I'm home!" Maddy called as she walked into the apartment, "Dad?" There was no answer, so she turned to Chase, who was stood nervously in the hall. "Coast's clear, come on in."

"Are you sure?" Chase stuck his head in the door to verify House wasn't there.

"James?" Maddy called, still no response. "Come on."

"House probably has an ambush planned." Chase muttered, walking in.

"Ok, well, you watch some TV, while I have a shower and change." Maddy told Chase, heading in the direction of the bathroom. Chase, nervously walked around the lounge, looking at the various bits and pieces, littering the apartment. For the first time, he began to see House not just as a boss, but a doting father. He smiled seeing photographs of Maddy's childhood, 1st birthday, an early Christmas, prom night. He sipped the coffee he had made himself, almost choking when he heard the front door open.

"Chase." House observed, noticing him by the piano, holding a photo. "First my daughter, now my coffee mug."

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't realise-" Chase stuttered, flustered. "I'll just-"

"Oh relax, wombat. I assume you've brought Maddy home in one piece."

"Yeah, she's just getting changed."

"So, I'm guessing that now's the time where we have the _**talk.**_" House answered, fixing himself a coffee in an overly girly mug to make a point. He walked back through to the lounge, and sat on the couch, "Sit."He instructed Chase, who sat nervously beside him.

"Ok..."

"I'll make this short and to the point. You hurt her, you become more acquainted with my friend here," He lifted his cane, Chase nodded in understanding. "And you'll be joining the unemployment line." House paused to let Chase think about what he had said. "We good?"

"Yeah." Chase told him, "House, I really like Maddy, I wouldn't do anything to hurt her, I want to make a go of this. She's a great-" He stopped, hearing the bathroom door open.

"Ooh, you haven't killed each other, I'm impressed." She smiled, seeing them sitting together.

"The wanderer returns..."House commented.

"You knew where I was going to be and not to expect me back." Maddy reminded him, "And I had a good night, thanks for asking."

"Good, concert fun?" House asked, turning to face her.

"They rocked." Maddy confirmed, "You'd like them."

"More a Jagger fan. Plans for today?"

"Robert and I were just going to hang out, maybe go for lunch. Care to join us?"

"No, I've got a whole afternoon of GH to catch up on, stupid patients interrupting my viewing schedule." He explained, flicking through his TiVo.

"Yeah, they get sick just to annoy you." Chase answered.

"I know, how rude!" House answered, enthusiatically. "Now I have to spend Saturday in front of the TV, when I could be chaperoning lunch."

"Sounds like torture. Anyway, we don't need a chaperone, just thought it'd be nice for you guys to spend some time together."

"I see him 40 hours a week, Maddy." House told her, "I don't need weekend access too."

"Suit yourself," Maddy replied, "I'll be seeing a lot more of him." Chase couldn't help but grin at the prospect. "Ok, well, play nice, I'm just going to grab my jacket, then we can go if you want."

She disappeared into her bedroom, reappearing with her jacket, "I'll have her home at a reasonable hour, I promise." Chase joked to House.

"Bye dad." She leaned down to give House a quick hug.

House was watching TV when Wilson arrived back from his errands. "Hey House." House raised his arm in greeting, not looking away from his TV. He spotted Maddy's coffee mug in the sink. "Maddy home?"

"Been and gone."

"Gone?"

"Out with Chase. Lunch."

"Oh, things went well then?" Wilson tried not to show his true feelings.

"Yeah, looks like I'll have 40+ hours of Robert Chase per week, or less time with Maddy if I don't play along."

"Maddy told you that?"

"Just that she'd be spending more time with him, I think this one could be serious." House observed, "She's already stayed at his."

"You don't seem as upset as I thought." Wilson told him frowning.

"It's like you said, she could do a lot worse." House answered, still focused on the TV. "He's smart, has a decent pay check, and he cares about her."

"One of her better choices." Wilson commented, sitting next to House, who looked at him puzzled. "That Nathan was a dirt bag."

"You told me that they'd broken up by the time you saw Maddy."

"They did, but only because he, well, actions speak louder than words." Wilson explained, noting House's face change to one of rage.

"He hit my little girl?!" He exclaimed, "How could you keep this from me?"

Wilson sighed, "She asked me not to tell you."

"I'm her father, I should know if someone-Anything else I should know about?"

"It was one time, I got her out of there right away." He told House, who was still seething.

"One time you know about." House pointed out, finally looking away from his TV.

"Maddy promised me it was one time and that she wouldn't go back to him. I believe her."

House seemed to relax, Maddy had certainly returned to Princeton, single and apparently unscathed. "You still should have told me." He repeated, "But thank you for getting her away from him." He thought for a moment, "You really care about her, don't you?" Wilson nodded, with a sad smile.

"I want to see her happy, Chase is the guy to do that for her." Wilson conceded, admitting defeat.


	29. Chapter 29

29

"So what did you and dad talk about earlier, I got the impression that I had interrupted something." Maddy asked Chase as they ate lunch at a local cafe.

"You know, the usual."

"He's not met that many of my boyfriends, due to the fact I was away for 5 years, and he certainly didn't employ any of them. I'm curious."

"He just warned me not to hurt you." Chase told her, "Which I told him I had no intention of doing, and that I really liked you."

"Really?" Maddy teased, "Would never have guessed."

"He was surprisingly cool about the whole thing." Chase commented, frowning.

"Told you he was ok." Maddy laughed, "Probably helps that he already knows you." Chase smiled and nodded in agreement. He was definitely seeing a new side to House.

"You have plans for tonight?" Chase asked, paying for lunch.

"Tonight is Monster Truck night, once a month special, I promised dad I'd watch it with him." She explained, apologetically. "You could join us if you like, Wilson will be there too."

"No, it's ok, you watch trucks and stuff with House."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah, have fun." Chase smiled, holding the door open for Maddy. "I'll see you Monday?"

"Uh-huh." She nodded, "See you then." She gave Chase a kiss and hug, then left to head back to the apartment for a night of trucking. She let herself into the apartment, "Hey James." She greeted Wilson who sat on the couch, watching some soap opera and frowning.

"Hey Maddy." He still watched the TV frowning. "How can your father watch this?"

"I don't know, I can't follow who's marrying who, who's cheating with who and who's dying." Maddy told him, sitting beside him, frowning herself. "Where is he anyway?" She asked, looking around the lounge. "I blew off a night with Robert to come back and watch Monster Truck Mayhem with him."

"Buying chips for tonight." Wilson explained, "Call him and tell him you need chips too. He thought you'd forgotten about tonight."

"Is he annoyed about, you know, Robert and I?"

"No, no. But he knows about Nathan..."

"James! I thought-" She exclaimed, turning to face him.

"It slipped out, I'm sorry!" He defended himself.

"He was mad?" She asked, squirming.

"At me, not you." Wilson explained, "He's ok now."

"Yeah, right." Maddy sighed, "Which is why he's out shopping, when normally he'd just get you to buy the chips."

"If it makes any difference, I was telling him how good Chase was for you, and that you could do a lot worse."

"You were defending Robert?" Maddy asked, open mouthed.

"Yeah." He told her, "Don't look so shocked, I'm sorry about what I said last night. Chase is good for you, you're happy." He smiled at her. "House and I just want you to be happy."

"I am, James, really." She hugged him, "Thank you."

They were only alone for another 5 minutes when House returned. "Got chips!" He called, opening the door.

"Enough for 3?" Maddy asked him, "You thought I'd forget Mayhem, I'm hurt."

"Not forget, have other plans." House clarified, dumping the chips in the kitchen. "No Chase lovin' tonight?"

"I told him I already had plans with you."

"I'm flattered." House answered, smiling. "Wilson can get his own chips."

"Thanks House!" Wilson called from the couch, "After all the times, I've bought you lunch..."

"Rent free accommodation..." House reminded Wilson in a sing song voice.

"Ok, I'll go and get my own chips." Wilson muttered, noticing a silent thank you in House's eyes, House and Maddy had some talking to do. Wilson picked up his jacket, "Any requests?"

House and Maddy both shook their heads, no. "Ok, I'll be back in a bit."

"Maddy, sit down, I want to talk to you." House adopted his serious tone, and sat down at the kitchen table, as Maddy joined him.

"Look, if this is about Nathan-"Maddy started.

"You think I'd just let it go?"

"I was kinda hoping you would."

"Not a chance." House told her, opening a bottle of beer, and taking a long swig. "He hit you." Maddy opened her mouth to answer, "You didn't tell me."

"How could I dad?" Maddy answered, "I felt stupid for not seeing him for what he was."

"You can talk to me about anything, after all we've been through, I thought-"

"Dad, I was 21, an adult. I made a mistake, I learned from it." Maddy told him, standing up. "Don't feel bad because I didn't tell you, ok?"

House looked up at Maddy, "Promise you'll never keep anything from me like that again?"

"Yeah, of course." She smiled, hoping that the situation would never arise.

"Good, I'm glad we sorted that." House told her, standing too. "Remember Chase puts one foot out of line, I'll be on him like..." He thought for a moment, Maddy laughed.

"I know, dad, I don't think he will, but thank you."

"Ok, I now have my own food!" Wilson called, walking through the door, announcing his presence to House and Maddy. House emerged from the kitchen, "Everything ok?" Wilson asked quietly, House smiled lightly and nodded.

"Are we watching this or not?" Maddy asked, carrying bowls of chips from the kitchen.

House and Wilson both nodded and joined her on the couch.


	30. Chapter 30

30

(6 months later)

"So, how are things going with you and House Junior?" Foreman asked Chase as they walked towards the office one morning.

"I wish you would just call her Maddy and not House Junior, I don't like being reminded of the fact her father signs my pay checks." Chase answered, "But things are going well."

"Marriage on the cards?" Cameron asked, teasing. "House would love that."

"Very funny." Chase muttered, "Not that serious. And House isn't so bad."

They entered the office, "Good morning kiddie winks." House greeted them, a little too cheerfully. "New case, even Chase could solve this one."

"Gee thanks." All three sat down, and waited for House to explain his latest case.

They frowned, ' 23 year old female, amenorrhoea, nausea, increased B-HCG level'. "I'm assuming that pregnancy has been ruled out." Cameron suggested to House.

"Not sure, have you Chase?" House looked Chase in the eye.

"Huh?" Chase asked, looking back at House, confused. "Have I?" He thought for a moment, "Excuse me." He hurriedly left the room, storming towards Pediatrics.

(Flashback - the day before)

"Maddy?" House knocked on the bathroom door, "Some of us still have to shower this morning!"

"I'll be out in a minute." He could hear water running, she appeared at the door.

"You look awful." He commented, putting his hand to her forehead. "You sure you should be going in today?"

"I'll be fine."

"You said that yesterday and the day before, and you're obviously still sick. I'm your father and a doctor and I say you stay home. I'll call Cuddy."

"No you won't. I'm fine." She told him, walking through to the kitchen for a glass of water.

"Do me a favour, take a day. I'll even send Chase here to be your own personal nurse maid."

"Dad, I'll be fine, ok? I'll see you tonight, bye." She hurried out of the front door, before House could hassle her further.

"Hey." She bumped into Chase on the way in, "Missed you at the bowling last night, I was one pin away from a perfect game, Foreman was so pissed. Headache gone?" He asked, a look of concern on his face.

"Oh, for God's sake, I'm fine. First dad and now you. Do I look like death warmed over or something?!" She fumed.

"Ok, you're fine, I get it. Sorry for being concerned about my girlfriend."

"Robert, I'm sorry. I just got the third degree from dad before leaving this morning."

"House is worried about you?" Maybe Chase should have been more worried, he started to wonder.

"He worries too much. I gotta go, I'll find you at lunch." Chase nodded in agreement and walked towards his own office.

Maddy walked into her bosses office and started to look through some files he had left for her, when there was a knock on the door, she opened it to find her father stood there.

"Dad, hi." She smiled at him, "See, I didn't collapse on the way here."

"Pee on this." He handed her a box he had swiped from clinic on his way to Pediatrics.

She took the box he held out, and read it. "No."

"Please. I'm worried about you." He admitted, concern obvious.

"Will it get you off my back?" She asked, raising her eyebrows. He nodded, "Ok, back in a minute." She disappeared leaving an anxious House in the office. She returned 10 minutes later. "Ok, you were right. How did you guess?"

House shrugged, "You've been ill, not demolished your monthly dose of Chunky Monkey Frozen Yoghurt..." He sat down across from her, "Have you and Chase even discussed the possibility?" She shook her head, "I thought you were smarter than this."

Maddy sighed, sinking in her seat, "Chest infection last month, antibiotics. I don't even know how he..."

"Page me." House answered, leaving Maddy to figure out how she felt.

(Present time)

"Maddy?" Chase appeared at the office door where she appeared to be in a discussion with her boss. "Can I see you?"

"Excuse me." She told Dr Michaels, and stood to join Chase just outside.

"When were you going to tell me? I'd much rather have heard it from you. Is it true?" Her silence was his answer. "Why did you tell him first?!"

"I-he guessed. I needed to get my head around it, he shouldn't have told you..."

"At least someone did!" He whispered angrily.

"I'm sorry, I should've-"

"Yeah, you should've." And Chase stormed angrily away from Maddy.

She marched towards her father's office, and opened the door without knocking. "How could you?!" She asked him, her voice calm. "You knew he didn't know, you couldn't just let me tell him."

"He deserved-"

"I didn't even know if I was going to keep-"

"Keep?" House asked cautiously.

"I'm too young, this wasn't planned."

"I was your age when you were born, Chase has a good job, you have an internship..." House started, hoping she would see sense, "Your mother and I didn't plan..."

"And look how that turned out, my mother abandoning me when I was 3 days old, you stuck with me! Do you know how it feels to know that you weren't wanted by your own mother?"

"_**I **_always wanted you."

"Did you? Or did you just put up with me?"

House sighed, "It wasn't the ideal situation in which to raise a baby, I'll be the first to admit that, Mads, but we did ok, didn't we?"

"I don't want to just do ok, dad." She told him, "I just, I don't know."

"Whatever you want, I'll back you, you know that, don't you?" She nodded slightly, glancing into the conference room to see Chase, obviously annoyed, sitting at the table, avoiding his colleagues questions.

"Yeah, I should go."

"You don't want to speak to daddy Chase?" House asked.

"No, I'll give him time to think thing over and then we can talk about this." She stood up, intent on leaving, "If he's still talking to me, that is..."

"I'm sorry." House admitted, "I should've let you handle it."

"It's fine. I'll see you tonight." And she walked dejectedly back out of House's office, not noticing how Chase stared after her.


	31. Chapter 31

31

Maddy was walking back to pediatrics when she heard someone calling her name, she turned to see Chase. "We need to talk."

"We do." Maddy replied, "Lunch?"

"I was thinking now, actually. Are you free?"

"Let me speak to Michaels and I'll come find you, ok?"

Chase nodded, serious expression on his face. "Sounds like a plan."

"See you soon." She spoke to Dr Michaels, arranging to take the rest of the day off, then went to the office to find Chase.

"Maddy, hi." Cameron greeted her, "Are you looking for Chase?"

"Yeah, is he-" She glanced at the whiteboard still containing her own symptoms. "Tell me that isn't what I think it is."

Cameron looked to see what Maddy was looking at. "Congratulations?" Cameron offered, smiling nervously at Maddy.

"Excuse me." Maddy stormed through to House's office. "You turned me into a differential?!" She exclaimed, furious. "That's how he found out?!"

"Maddy, I-"

"Telling him was bad enough, but to do it in front of his colleagues! That's, well, insensitive even for you!"

"I'm-" House started to answer.

"I'll have my stuff out of the apartment by the weekend." She walked back out of his office, slamming the door on the way.

"Hi Maddy." Wilson smiled, on seeing her walking towards him. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, you don't know already? Ask my father." She told him, then continued on her way to find Chase. "Robert? Is now ok?" She asked, meeting him outside Radiology.

"Yeah, Foreman can cover." They walked along the hall, "Can we go somewhere that's not here?"

"Sure, my car or yours?" Chase laughed in response, "What?"

"Whose car we use is hardly the most important thing on the agenda." He replied, walking towards his own car. "Cafe?" Maddy nodded, getting into the passenger seat of Chase's car. They drove to the cafe, and sat in a quiet corner. "So...When did you find out, and why does House know before me?"

"Wow, to the point. I found out yesterday, Dad noticed that I wasn't feeling great, and no

PMS apparently, I took the test to get him off my case, I didn't think it would be... He confirmed it with blood at clinic." She explained, "I'm sorry Robert, this is all a mess."

"Yeah, it is."

"I never planned any of this. I should've told you as soon as I found out but I was still trying to figure everything out, what to do. Now you're angry at me, I'm not talking to my father, and I'm looking for somewhere else to live-"

"I'm not angry." Chase told her, she allowed herself to meet his eyes. "What do you mean by figuring out what to do?" He thought for a moment, "You don't want our...?"

"Do you?"

Without hesitation, Chase replied, "Yeah, I think I do." He allowed himself to smile a little. "I know I do."

"I'm game if you are." Maddy smiled, nervously. "One problem solved."

"One?"Chase frowned, thinking that there was only one issue.

"Accommodation."

"I was assuming that we'd be living together, I can convert the spare room." Chase offered. "And as for you and House, I don't know."

"Neither do I." She admitted, "All I know is that I can't live with him anymore. Not after what he did today."

"Maddy..." Chase sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"No, Robert. I've had enough. I told him I'd be gone by the weekend."

"Well, how bout we go and bag up your stuff, and get moving."

"You're not needed back at the hospital?"

"House can bite me." Chase replied, standing up. "Just need to collect some stuff from the hospital then we can go."

They walked back into PPTH, "I'll wait in the cafeteria for you." Maddy told Chase, as he headed for his office. She wandered down to the cafeteria, bought a juice and sat browsing through a magazine.

"So, you and House?" Wilson asked, sitting down across from her. "Big fight?"

"Did you ask him?"

"He didn't tell me. I thought maybe you would."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Must be bad," Wilson commented, "for neither of you to want to talk."

"It's complicated, James."

"Explain it to me." Wilson told her, "Maybe I can help you guys sort it out."

"He told Chase that I was pregnant by using me as a differential." She explained, Wilson sighed, "I'm moving out."

"Wait, you and Chase are..." Maddy nodded, eyes welling with tears, "Congratulations I guess."

"Yeah, congratulations." She echoed, sarcastically, "What if I'm just like my mom, James? What if I ruin both Robert and our kid's life?"

"You think your mom leaving ruined you and House's lives?"

"It was hard for him to raise me and live his own life too. Daycare, after daycare, after daycare. Always knowing I was different because I didn't have a mom like other kids, pretending to friends that she was dead because I didn't want to admit that she left me. Without me, his life would have been so much easier."

"Without you, his life would be empty, Maddy, you know that."

"As opposed to the rose garden it is just now?" She asked, "He can have his life back, James. I'm done." She noticed Chase standing at the door to the cafeteria. "I'll see you later."

"Maddy, wait." Wilson tried to stop her leaving.

"I have to pack, James. Bye."


	32. Chapter 32

32

Wilson walked into House's office without knocking. "I can't believe you."

House frowned at him, "Hello to you too."

"How are you going to fix this?" Wilson asked, taking a seat.

"She's hormonal, she'll calm down."

"No, House, I don't think she will. She's packing her things as we speak." House stood up, and walked through to where Foreman and Cameron were sitting.

"Chase?"

"He took the rest of the day, personal business, cleared it with Cuddy." Foreman explained, House stormed back through to his office.

"She's bluffing, she wouldn't let this-"

"She told me what you did, she isn't bluffing House." Wilson told him, "She's leaving."

"Chase had a right to know." House defended his actions, hoping Wilson would side with him.

"And Maddy had the right to tell him herself."

"She wasn't sure she wanted to keep it."

"And your little game has forced her into having the baby, I hope you're proud of yourself."

"What's that supposed to mean?" House asked.

"Have you thought of how her mother leaving when she was an infant affected her? Maybe she's scared of turning out like her mom?"

"It didn't affect her."

"No?" Wilson tried not to raise her voice, "Your daughter thinks that her existence screwed up your life, that you'd have been better off without her."

"That's ridiculous." House answered, "She's my daughter, she's done anything but screw up my life." He sighed heavily, "I told her I'd back whatever she decided."

"When?"

"After I'd told Chase."

"And had already therefore made the decision for her." Wilson observed. "I don't know if you can get her back after this, House. It's not just you and her you're messing with, there's Chase and a baby, your grandchild involved. Could get messy..." And with that Wilson walked out, leaving House to think about what to do.

"Hey, do you have a big enough suitcase for your stuff?" Chase asked Maddy, as they drove towards her apartment. "We can stop by mines, I have a couple of bags."

"That'd be a good idea, I want as much stuff out today as possible, I really don't want to have to see him."

"Maddy, he's your father."

"I'm aware of that Robert, that's what makes this worse."

They collected Chase's bags, then started to pack up Maddy's things from her room. "Want these?" Chase held up some stuffed toys that sat on Maddy's bed.

"My first teddy." She smiled, sadly. "Dad got me that the day after I was born." She thought for a moment, "Leave it."

"O...k." Chase thought it was best not to argue. "I think we've packed all we can, you want to wait here while I take this stuff down to the car?"

"Sure." She sat on the edge of the bed, jumping when the bedroom door opened a few seconds later.

"You were serious then?" House stood at the door, leaning heavily on his cane. "Where will you go?"

"Robert's."

"You won't reconsider?"

"No."

"This is what we're reduced to? One word answers?"

"You did this. You had no right to tell Robert."

"Wow, 2 sentences. Progress."

"No, I'm still leaving. I'd prefer it if you just left me alone, ok?"

"Maddy, I-"

"Let me guess, you're _**sorry.**_ Won't work this time, you crossed the line. I've had enough, like I told Wilson, you can have your life back, I won't inconvenience you any further. And, don't even think about taking this out on Robert, ok? This is between you and I, the fact that I'm with him, does not affect the way he does his job." She stood up, on hearing Chase arrive to take more bags down. "5 sentences, the most you'll get from me, ever again." She walked out, leaving House, sitting in the now mostly bare room. He picked up the teddy she had left behind, one that she wouldn't allow herself to be separated from until the age of 10. It had even went to Hopkins with her. He sat in the room, thinking on how things had went wrong, when he heard a knock at the front door.

"House? It's Wilson! You there?" House still sat, ignoring his friend. "I have keys, either you let me in or I'll let myself in." A few minutes later, the front door opened, Wilson arrived in Maddy's room moments later. "She left?"

"Yeah, I'm free. Can watch whatever TV shows I want, have hookers over any time, strut around naked if I so desire."

"You miss her already."

"Did you not hear what I just said?" House asked him.

"I heard you deflecting."

"Why can't you just take what I say at face value?" House looked up at him, Wilson could see the sadness in his friends eyes. "Like I needed a pregnant hormonal woman around here anyway."

"More than you realise, House." Wilson told him. "Did you talk to her?"

"Briefly."

"And?"

"She didn't want to inconvenience me any further. And she wants me to leave her alone."

"At which point you told her, I don't know, that you were wrong, you love her, she wasn't an inconvenience. All or any of the above would be good." House merely shook his head, "Unbelievable!" Wilson exclaimed.

"She told me not to take it out on Chase, none of this affected how he did his job."

"Which is true, if you want to stand a chance of being in her life, you need to keep Chase on side."

"Oh joy!" He muttered sarcastically, "But true. Why did she have to be so darn stubborn?"

"Because," Wilson answered, "She's just like her father."


	33. Chapter 33

33

"How did your move go?" Wilson asked Maddy, as she walked beside him on her way to an appointment. "Chase's apartment nice?" The move had taken place a few weeks before, and communication between Maddy and her father had been minimal since then.

"It was fine, James. And the apartment is nice." She answered, "You have a message from my father?"

"No, I'm not getting involved." He told her, House had asked him to make sure she was ok, and keep him posted if anything interesting happened. "Are you ok?"

"Felt better, but I'm ok."

"So, you feel like talking to him yet?" Wilson asked hopefully.

"Nope. Excuse me, places to be." Wilson noted Chase sitting, waiting for Maddy.

"Ok, Come by my office and I'll write you up for anti nausea meds. I'll see you later." She nodded in response.

He walked back towards House office, and walked in. "Well?" House asked, looking up from his computer screen. "You saw her?"

"She's fine, but not wanting to talk to you yet."

"She'll miss my dry wit and charm sooner than I'll miss her and the way she accidentally deletes GH from my TiVo." House commented, smirking.

"You already miss her."

"Prove it."

"You were loitering near pediatrics earlier." Wilson told him. "Hoping to just happen to bump into her?"

"No."

"Well, she's not there just now anyway, OB appointment."

"Aren't you just a little fountain of information." House answered sarcastically, "I shall interrogate Chase later."

"You could just try talking to her, apologise."

"You really think she'd listen?" House asked, knowing she wouldn't, Wilson remained silent. "Didn't think so."

"Tread carefully with Chase, House." Wilson reminded him.

"Yeah, anyway, I have clinic duty." House told him standing up, hoping to end Wilson's lecture. "Later."

He hobbled away, quickly reaching clinic. "Greg."

He turned, "Stacy."

"I need your help."

"Funny you should say that, Exam Room One." He walked towards the room, Stacy following. "What can I do for you?"

"It's my husband. He's sick."

"Oh."

"You must've known I'd..."

"Maddy mentioned something a while back." House tried to act like it wasn't a big deal.

"How is she?" Stacy asked, she had grown attached to Maddy, but, with Maddy being away at school, their friendship had weakened. "James told me that she was working here."

"Wilson? He knows you're here?"

"I just bumped into him on the way in." Stacy explained.

"Oh, well, so what's wrong with your husband?"

"That's just it," She started to explain, "The doctors don't know." She handed House the file, and he flicked through it. "Will you help us?" She looked up at him, "Please?"

"Leave it with me."

"So, you never told me how Maddy was..."

"My turn to ask for help." He admitted, and explained what had happened between them.

"I'll speak to her. No promises. Pediatrics is 3rd floor?" House nodded, standing up to open the door for Stacy. Stacy walked up to Pediatrics, "Maddy?" She asked, seeing her walking towards her, "Hi."

"Stacy, hi." Maddy greeted her with a hug, "How are you?"

"I'm good. And you? I heard your news."

"You've spoken to my dad." Maddy observed.

"Yeah, he told me everything."

"Everything? Or his version of everything?" Maddy asked, laughing in spite of the situation.

"He knows he was wrong."

"I'm not talking to him, Stacy. He was out of line. If you've come all the way back here to sort us out, you've had a wasted journey."

"No, Mark's ill. Greg's going to look at his case." Stacy explained.

"I'm glad he can be mature about some things." Maddy commented, "He'll find out what's wrong with him."

"Maddy, you should give him a chance, this is hurting him more than you know." She thought back to House's clear upset when talking about his daughter. "Please."

"I'll think about it, ok?"

"It's all I ask." Stacy smiled, feeling she had made progress. "I have to go and see how Mark is." She handed Maddy a business card, "Call me. We can catch up."

"That'd be nice." With another quick hug for Maddy, Stacy left to tend to her sick husband.


	34. Chapter 34

34

Maddy thought about what Stacy had said, and debated whether or not to talk to House. She walked up to Wilson's office, and knocked on the door.

"Come in."

"Hey James, you said to drop by."

"Take a seat, I'll just get my pad." He opened his drawer and started scribbling something on it.

"Wilson, you'll never believe-" House barged into the office, "Maddy."

"You should've knocked House." Wilson told him, ripping off the paper and handing it to Maddy.

"Thanks." She said, accepting the paper.

"I can leave you guys to talk if you want." Wilson offered, standing to leave.

"No, it's ok. Thanks for this." She stood up, also.

"Maddy, wait." House started, "Please?"

"I'll be by later, we need to talk about Grandma and Grandpa's visit next week." She told House, as she walked out.

"That sounded positive." Wilson smiled, as House allowed himself a small smile.

"What was she doing here? You were giving her a prescription."

"You answered your own question." Wilson told him, "Just anti nausea meds, nothing sinister. It's not an uncommon problem."

"Yeah, I should go. Stacy's asked me to look at her husband's case."

"Ah, I seen her this morning."

"Her new husband is sick, and apparently I'm the only one who can save him." House told Wilson.

"And you're ok with this?"

"Of course." House answered, smirking. "Later." House walked back into the conference room, threw the file down on the desk in front of his fellows. "New case, go." And walked through to his own office, where Maddy was sitting waiting for him to return. "Didn't expect to see you. How are you?"

"Next week, I'm assuming you've not told my grandparents what's been happening." She ignored his concern.

"No, they are unaware of you living in sin with Chase, or that you are carrying his illegitimate fetus."

"Wow, you put it so nicely. Don't hold back now." House sighed, he had put his foot in it. "One day's amnesty, we put on a show for them, they don't need to know anything. You pretend you're happy for me for the day and I'll pretend that we're fine."

"I don't need to pretend I'm happy for you." House answered.

"Fine, I'll make an excuse not to be at dinner, I'm not playing if you're not."

"You misunderstood me-"

"Really, all this has been a big misunderstanding?" She stood up, intent on leaving.

"No, it's, what I meant is that I don't need to pretend because I am happy for you, things seem to be working out for you."

"Yeah, they are." She admitted, "Chase tells me you ask about us everyday."

"You're still my daughter whether you like it or not, I can be concerned if I want."

"How did we end up like this?"

"I guess I forgot that you weren't just mine anymore." He smiled, "Forgot I had to share. It was just us for so long...you weren't an inconvenience, you were my Squirt."

Chase had been watching the conversation from the conference room, and became curious, he walked towards the office, poking his head through the door, "Everything ok?"

"Case solved already?" House asked, in mock shock.

"Everything's fine." Maddy answered, Chase nodded then walked back through to his colleagues.

"Is everything fine? I tried so hard not to be like _**him,**_" House referred to his own relationship with his father. "Are we ok?"

"Buy me lunch and I'll think about it." She smiled, reached into her pocket, and handed him a piece of paper. "Thought you might want this." She walked out of the office, through to where Chase was sitting with Cameron and Foreman.

"Hey." Chase smiled as she sat down beside him. "You finally let him off the hook?"

"Figured 6 weeks was long enough to make my point."

"You gave him the sonogram picture didn't you?" Chase knew Maddy well, she nodded. "How's the case going? Figured out what's wrong with Mark?"

"You know him?" Cameron asked, confused.

"He's dad's ex girlfriend's new husband."

"House shouldn't be on the case." Foreman added, "Conflict of interest."

"You think he'll screw up just to get the new guy off the scene?" Maddy laughed, "He wouldn't do that to Stacy. She thinks he's the only one who can fix him. I hope she's right."

"You want to join the differential?" House asked, entering the room.

"No, I have my own patients. Good luck."

"See you at lunch?" House asked, hiding his happiness that he had her back.

"Yeah." She walked back out, House returned back to his own office, followed by Chase.

"Should I tell Wilson that our daily updates are no longer required?" He asked, sitting down on the seat opposite House, picking up his large tennis ball.

"Did you know Wilson was prescribing anti nausea meds?" House asked him, Chase frowned and shook his head. "Back to our differential, and keep the updates." House told him, taking his tennis ball back and following Chase back to the conference room.


	35. Chapter 35

35

(A week later)

"So, dinner is at 7?" Maddy asked Wilson, who had made arrangements, once House had not managed to come up with a good reason not to see his parents.

"Yeah. So, I see the meds kicked in." He laughed, Chase had taken him aside and thanked him, once Maddy had seemed to feel better.

"You think they'll notice?" She asked, looking down at her expanding waistline. "I'm not sure how they'll react."

"I'm sure they'll be fine."

"You've not met Grandpa House have you?" She asked, "He almost had a fit when he found out my mother was...you get the picture."

"Yeah, Chase is joining us?"

"I think so, depends on the case. Dad will be there if I have to drag him there myself. I know he's been trying to avoid it."

(Later that afternoon)

"I can't make dinner." House told Maddy, "My patient..."

"Robert told me. Have you told-"

"Greg! Madeleine!" Blythe House had appeared at the door to House's office.

"Hi Grandma." Maddy smiled, hugging her grandmother. "Grandpa." He walked into the office, and hugged her.

"You need to lay off the burgers." He told her, laughing. Maddy cleared her throat nervously, about to tell her grandparents.

"Actually-"

"What Maddy was going to tell you is that I can't make dinner. My patient is dying and-"

"So, maybe a cafeteria dinner would be ok?" Maddy finished, noticing the disappointment in her grandmother's eyes. "I just need to speak to someone and I'll meet you down there." She walked through to the adjoining room.

"So, that's House's parents." Chase commented to Maddy, as they watched from the conference room. "They look normal enough."

"As opposed to the monsters you were expecting?"

"Well, given the way House is, I-"

"Careful what you say about my _**father **_and _**grandparents**_ Robert." She reminded him, "Dad is just the way dad is. He has his reasons for not being over joyed at Grandpa visiting."

"Like?"

"Can we not talk about it?" She asked him, pleadingly. "Grandpa just told me I should lay off the burgers." She laughed.

"He doesn't know?" Maddy shook her head, "Your grandmother?" She shook her head again.

"We need to start telling people, before they guess."

"Let's see how they take it first." He nodded to Maddy's family in the next room.

"So, dinner, is in the cafeteria, no Wilson or Cuddy to distract them unfortunately. Maybe you could-"

Chase laughed, "Be the buffer between...? No."

"Well, I was suggesting that you show me a little support..." She clarified, "Please?"

"I'll come to the cafeteria, and sit where I can see you, just wave me over when you need me." Chase suggested, noting House and his parents leaving. "I don't want to intrude."

"Sounds like a fair compromise. See you down there."

Maddy followed her family down to the cafeteria, where they settled with various sandwiches and drinks. "So, what have you been feeding our granddaughter? She's gained-" John House started, while Maddy rolled her eyes.

"I've not been feeding her anything, I assume that the guy she lives with does the feeding."

"You're living with someone?" Blythe asked, obviously shocked.

"Yeah, grandma, his name's Robert, he's a doctor on dad's team." She glanced over at Chase, gave him a small wave, he walked over. "Robert, meet my grandparents."

"Hi, Robert Chase." He shook both House's parents' hands in turn. "Nice to meet you."

"You approve of this?" John asked House, "Wait, why am I asking, you did the same." He answered, disapproval clear.

"Yes, I approve. Maddy's happy with him."

"Was she his Christmas bonus?" John asked, laughing sarcastically. Maddy glanced up at Chase, who was trying his best to stay calm.

"No, she wasn't dad."

"I'm sorry, Robert." John told him, "I was making fun of my son and granddaughter, not you."

"Funny." Chase commented, not laughing.

"Anyway, the reason I asked Robert to join us, was that we have news." Maddy started, looking nervously at her father for reassurance. "I, uh-we..."

"She's pregnant." House finished, noticing a look of gratitude from his daughter.

"History repeating itself. Well done Greg." John answered.

"Excuse me." Maddy stood up, and walked away, Chase following her.

"You couldn't just be happy for her." Blythe told her husband, chiding him.

"She's doing exactly what he did, right down to the time scale, she'll mess that kid up just like he did, he's hardly in a position to bail her out the way we did with him."

"John! Greg did not mess up with Madeleine. She's grown up fine, kids today, it's different from when we were young, this is what happens these days. You need to apologise to her."

"For reminding her of morals, Blythe?"

"For being you." House answered, "All I can say is sorry that we're both such a big disappointment to you." He stood up to walk away. "And Maddy won't need to send me an SOS to make me see my own grandchild, wild horses wouldn't keep me away from them." He reminded his dad of his lack of interest when Maddy was born.

"Greg." His mother addressed him, "He didn't mean it." She nudged her husband, hoping he would accept the prompt and apologise, he just stood up and walked to the men's room. House remained standing at the table. "I'm sorry. Please tell Madeleine and Robert how happy we both are for them."

"I will, mom. I'll get her to call you." He gave his mother a quick hug and left to see exactly what damage his father had done. He reached him office, where he could see Chase sitting on the floor, hugging an upset Maddy. "He's gone."

"He's a piece of work." Chase told House. "I'm being polite you realise."

"Mom's happy for you." House told Maddy. "I told her you'd call her once this had blown over."

"As long as I don't need to speak to him."

"Normally I'd try and make you see that he's not all that bad, but after tonight, I don't care if we never see him." Chase told her, "Your grandmother's nice though."

"Mom was never the problem." House answered, "Just him."

"Can we go home?" Maddy asked Chase, standing up. Chase looked to House, they did still have a case ongoing.

"Foreman and Cameron can handle things here." House told them, "Make sure she's ok." He nodded to Maddy, Chase smiled and nodded back.

"You ok?" He asked House, who was obviously still riled by his father.

"Nothing a good bourbon won't fix. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thanks." Chase answered, and led Maddy out to go home.


	36. Chapter 36

Authors note

I've not posted here for a while, and there's quite a backlog, so if anyone wants to know whats been happening in this fic, email me and I'll email you parts 36-119 if you want.


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